Promise of the Past
by CrazyAuraGirl23
Summary: In an effort to remove Luke and Leia as a threat to her plans, an evil Sith Witch attempts to eradicate them in the most unconventional way she can... She utilizes an ancient device to erase them from the time-line. Her target: the unknown lover of Anakin Skywalker that brought them into this world. Full summary in Chapter 1!
1. Chapter 1: Her Brother's Keeper

Synopsis: In an effort to remove Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa as a threat to her plans, an evil Sith Witch and her two apprentices attempt to eradicate them in the most unconventional way she can. Unable to destroy either Skywalker, she utilizes an ancient device to erase them from the time-line. Her target: the unknown lover of Anakin Skywalker that brought them into this world. With the records of their maternity practically non-existent, it is now a race to determine the identity of the twin's mother before the Witch destroys her. Can Leia overcome her aversion to her biological father and solve this mystery? And, once they do, can they get their mother to trust them?

**Author's Note: This story is partially inspired by the nameless two stock characters from the Clone Wars series, that blond guy and the lady with the double buns that always seems to accompany him. ****The first chapter is a stage setter, so please bear with it. Please feel free to comment on my style, plot twists and word choice. This is supposed to be loosely based on the Clone Wars TV series and the Expanded Universe, but it is most definitely an AU.**

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

Chapter One: Her Brother's Keeper

He was snoring again. And, boy, was that an adjustment. Years of sleeping alone had trained her to embrace the quiet, but not how to endure the rumbling of a husband's snoring. Tossing and turning for the nth time that night, a petite frame rose from the bed sluggishly and turned to eye the sleeping man beside her in frustration. Part of her wanted to hit him with her pillow, but she knew that would do anything but shut him up.

So, rather than fight the sounds while still wide awake and thinking, she carefully climbed out of bed and used her inner-eye to navigate the room. Her husband liked the room pitch black when he slept, likely from all the years he spent sleeping aboard his ship, but she did not. A little light always did her some good, but him snoring was by far better than him tossing and turning. Yet another adjustment she wasn't expecting with marriage.

Laughing to herself, she found the door and activated the switch to open it.

The rest of their home was dark, but not pitch like the bedroom. It was easier to see where she was going as she meandered through the rooms, headed directly to the small terrace that had made this place her primary choice when they were residence shopping. Her golden protocol droid, Threepio, sat inside of one of the chairs, recharging for the night. The mood was serene and the scene tranquil. It didn't matter that she actually shared the building with her brother.

As one of three primary Jedi liaisons to the Senate, her brother had been given this residence because it was right between both the temporary Jedi temple and the Senate hall. He was fond of it, having all the open space he could desire in the dense, smog covered metropolis that was Coruscant. Until the Jedi Temple was restored, he'd settled for living away from the others, enjoying the anonymity and freedom of the building.

And she, she was content to not be far from him.

Much to her husband's occasional objection, she couldn't stomach living far from her long-lost twin brother. Though they were both adults and leading their own lives, it didn't make sense to suddenly disperse. As far as she was concerned, they'd been separated long enough. Through the Force, he was always there for her, no matter how far apart they were, but that wasn't enough. Nearly twenty years were lost to two people who were meant to spend their whole lives around one another.

That was the real reason why she'd become his apprentice. His first one, as a matter of fact.

Truthfully, she'd wanted nothing to do with that dread power that her biological father had used to terrorize the galaxy. His abuse sickened her, and her apparent likeness to his personality made her fear the day she took up his gauntlet.

A day her brother assured her would never come.

But, as if to contradict him, she'd had that dream again. The one where fire surrounded her and the sounds suffering plagued her ears. And she couldn't help but feel responsible for it all.

And that was why she now headed towards the door of her home, planning on using the lift to barge into her brother's apartment at an unusual hour as always. Part of her smiled as she slowly ascended towards his floor, knowing full well that he was awake and expecting her. She could sense it.

It seemed that all the things he'd taught her were starting to make her increasingly more aware of her twin's activities.

As she pulled her long, brown hair out of her dark, brown eyes, she stepped forward to exit the now stopped lift. Luke's apartment required a code to enter, one that changed frequently, but she was always apprised of the change. It was getting a lot harder to keep secrets from each other as both their powers grew.

With a beep, the door slid open, and her petite form entered the spacious living room that was her brother's. It was dark, save for the small glow of some dimmed lights over the bar of his kitchen, likely for her to see with, and his active HoloProjector. His lean form was strewn across his sofa, watching the HoloNews while half asleep. With dishwater blond hair was a mess and mixed with perspiration; he'd clearly just finished another workout in his 'office.' "Hello Leia." He called, not moving his icy blue eyes from the projection in the center of the room, "What brings you to 801st Floor?"

She chuckled and pulled her robe tighter to her, "Just wanted to see what my baby brother was up to." she admitted as she turned to watch the news with him.

"_Baby_ brother?" he smirked as he lifted his feet to let her sit, "Who says I'm the younger one, _little _sister?" Leia chuckled a bit as she took one of his throw pillows, one of the ones she'd bought him because his house screamed bachelor before she'd gotten a hold of it, and curled herself up around it to watch the news.

_"In recent news, peace talks on Planet Navadar have failed."_ Said the lovely, red Twil'ek on in the projection, her black lips switching from smile to frown, as though directing the emotions of her audience,_ "Senators Tayas and Suido have assured us that every measure was taken to forge an alliance with the Navida, but their prior affiliation with TIE-fighter construction has left them eagerly accepting aid from Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Imperialist Movement, who still hold several worlds hostage along the Outer-Rim-"_

"-Why didn't Mothma send you?" Luke suddenly inquired, his eyes still locked on the red Twil'ek, now spewing venom towards Thrawn and his associates, "You've dealt with the Navida before, haven't you?"

Leia shrugged, pulling her legs up to her chest and pillow, "Yes." she admitted, "But that was during the time of the Galactic Empire. Palpatine's lead cronies singled me out as a fresh face pretty enough to appease Duke Hillo." She could feel her brother cringe as she recalled the purple-faced, horn -clad brigand that nearly attacked her, "He's such a pig too... that's why Tayas and Suido were selected." Luke turned to her with his brow raised.

"Because he's a pig?" He wanted to clarify. Leia nodded.

"They know how to handle pigs." She told him, turning to face him for the first time all night. He was tired, his eyes squinting to stay awake, even as the shadows made his angular features seem heavy. But still, he was conscious enough to conduct the appropriate eye-roll and frown as he turned his eyes back to the projection. "Well, the Republic needs all kinds... I guess. Just so long as I don't have to watch you deal with Hillo. Might cut something off."

They continued to watch the report in silence, Leia's inner-eye alerting her to the fact that Han had stirred below and was reaching out to find her in his sleep. _Just rest._ She told him,_ You have a big day tomorrow, go back to sleep._ She could feel him receive her suggestion and slip back into slumber. Part of her felt guilty for not being there with him, as she should, but she was just too restless.

"Was it the same place?" Luke inquired of her gently, his hand reaching up slightly to pull the remote for the HoloProjector to him from across the room. Leia watched the object absently, her mind trying to push the image of her nightmare as far from her conscious as possible.

"Yes." She finally admitted, despite knowing that her brother already knew the answer. "That strange building again. The room was filled with people... and I feel like I've been there before, I just can't see enough through the fog and fire to identify it again... and my father was there." She paused a moment, waiting for her brother to respond. When he didn't, she prompted him, "What could it mean Luke?"

He shrugged, his eyes on locked on the show a channel before the news feed, this one was just leaving for commercial. "I honestly can't say... Not yet, at least." Leia sighed, unsatisfied.

Luke watched the advertisements a moment on the projector before switching to another channel. This one was a late night comedy that he knew was a bit of a guilty pleasure. It was anything but appropriate, but he didn't care. Nor did Leia, for that matter. Han had gotten them both started on it years ago, and since then, the misadventures of Ziya and Gija had become something of a tradition.

They observed the comedic duo most cheerfully. Both were male Nemoidians that took advantage of their people's unfortunate past to lighten their image. This episode was one they'd not seen before, an episode about the Nubian Blockade that occurred more than ten years before the twins had been born.

The humor of their act was rather ironic, as they depicted themselves as two Nemoidians disguised as Trade Federation Battle Droids on the field. _"Ziya,"_ said Gija, the smaller one with slightly bluer skin, _"I don't think this was the smartest choice... those Gungans look a little dangerous."_ The Gungans themselves were wild looking, displaying awesome strength but lacking wit, something Leia was certain would be considered offensive to the people.

"Why do we watch this show again?" Leia suddenly inquired in a slight whine, feeling disgusted with herself for entertaining a performance like this, even privately.

"Because it's hilarious." Luke reminded her, "You especially liked their rendition of the first Deathstar blowing up, as I recall." She had to smile at that memory. That episode was a rather large surprise for both of them. Gija had chosen to portray Luke, while Ziya was Han. In their spoof, the reason the death star blew up was on account of their inability to pilot, rather than their superb ability. Luke's miracle shot was attributed to him bouncing off the Falcon, which was nothing more than a discus, while a mock Darth Vader watched in complete wonder. Luke and Han had been laughing so hard at the act, she was convinced one of them would burst a lung.

Now, Ziya and Gija were before the painted face of Queen Amidala of Naboo, the reigning queen during the occupation of the Trade Federation. She appeared in holo form as a floating head that looked more like a statue at first. With all her features, save for her lips, eyelashes and a dot on each cheek, painted white, she seemed absolutely intimidating. What was funny though, was how in every shot, her crown of hair got crazier and crazier, even sporting the pink bows of a small child.

"I doubt Pooja will like this skit." Leia noted as Luke turned to her in confusion, "The current senator of Naboo. Padme Amidala was her aunt."

"Oh?" Luke replied, and then turned back to the screen, "I wouldn't be... if anything, this shows how tensions have changed between the Nubians and Nemoidians. They wouldn't dare this skit if that weren't the case." Leia shrugged, putting her feet back down on the ground.

"She died young." Leia continued her explanation, "No one is really sure why, but Pooja told me there were a lot of imperials investigating at the time. She was apparently a good friend of Palpatine, but a crusader for the people." Luke frowned, as he always did when Palpatine was mentioned. The man had stolen much from them both, and, try as he might, burying his hatred of the man was not always easy.

"So she's an oxymoron." He suddenly decided as both Ziya and Gija appeared on screen with a disclaimer about their skit, "Why did she even get brought up?"

Leia frowned at her brother, disappointed in his dismissal of the topic. "Truthfully, Pooja thought I was her at first and when she brought her up, I asked about her. She happened to be good friends with my father before she died, and was pivotal to the formation of the Delegation of 2000."

"The foundation of the Rebel Alliance?" Luke noted as he turned the projector off. Leia nodded.

She watched as Luke stood up to head towards his kitchen, likely looking for something to drink. Leia had noted that his glass, which sat on the glass end table, was empty (even of the million cubes of ice he always stuck in his drinks). "My father always spoke fondly of her, and she'd become a role model in my eyes." She added as she stood to seat herself on a bar stool by the sink.

Luke glanced up at her, rubbing the crustiness out of his eyes as he yawned. "A role model?"

Leia nodded, taking the glass he now extended to her as he filled his own directly from the tap. "Yes," she replied, "Most of my policies while in office were greatly influenced by her, often historical, efforts. She fought to end the Clone Wars from the beginning, along with my father and Mon Mothma."

Luke chuckled, "So she likely wasn't a fan of Jedi." Leia shrugged.

"No idea about that." She admitted, "My father was opposed to the war, but he always told me that Obi-Wan Kenobi was the best man he'd ever met." To that, Luke smiled, leaning on the counter with his forearms. Leia observed him carefully, suddenly sensing what she'd missed before.

Her brother was off.

"Is something troubling you Luke?" She wanted to know. He glanced up at her a moment, his icy eyes showing his exhaustion.

With a sigh, he stood up and leaned on the Ice-Box with his arms crossed, "I haven't been sleeping lately, that's all." His voice was quiet, tired sounding, and pained. "I keep waking up because some woman keeps calling to me. Who it is, I don't know... but they are so damned persistent..." He then blinked himself back awake, as he was fighting sleep avidly, "And if it isn't her, this dangerous sounding guy keeps telling me that I'll turn into father, no matter what." In hearing that, Leia felt her brother's turmoil. Felt how lost he was inside. Knowing she had to do something to ease him, she stood up and gave him the big hug she assumed he'd get if they still had a mother alongside them.

"It's probably just the pressure." Leia noted as she stepped back from her brother, noting once again just how short she was in comparison. "I mean, your position is fairly new. You could be experiencing nerves in your sleep, is all."

Luke smiled and shrugged, "I sure hope so." he admitted gently.

All of the sudden, his comm went off. Luke bounded across the room swiftly to collect the small device, pressing the blue activation switch. _"General Skywalker!"_ Called the voice of a perturbed man.

"This is him." Luke acknowledged him, "What is the problem?"

_"This is Captain Divo of the Coruscanti Police Force,"_ The man started out importantly, _"We have a situation involving a murder and could really use your consultation."_ Luke frowned and turned to his sister, who rose from her bar stool with raised eyebrows.

* * *

**Author's Note Part II: So, I just wanted to insert two things. One: The characters Tayas, Suido, Hillo, Ziya and Gija are my inventions. So is Planet Navadar. I just needed some filler stuff to get the story rolling. Luke and Leia are 28 in this story, so I wanted to show how their personalities changed in the last four years in this AU and therefore added to the world to showcase it. If you have any insight to offer on the characters I create, please feel free to comment on it. Two: Despite the synopsis, this story will take a bit to get rolling. I like to build on character's personalities and everyday lives before the plot arrives. So please be patient. I'll try to consistently update as best I can.**


	2. Chapter 2: Assailants in the Night

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

Lady Anhilis watched eagerly from her post, a small outcropping near the veranda now crawling with police droids, as a silver speeder arrived at the scene. As predicted, her black, Mirialan tattooed eyes saw the dishwater blond locks of a particular figure appear out of the car. And, much less predicted, a slender young woman joined him.

They appeared to be dressed in the modern version of Jedi garb, a simple long under tunic with a tabard and belt. Anhilis found it strange that a man so associated with the light side of the Force donned blacks and dark browns, while his companion dressed primarily in whites and creams. Most Jedi preferred the more neutral brown to either darks or lights. And, as if sensing her criticism, the woman turned back and faced her directly, her eyes scanning the area in search of what she sensed.

And she knew this woman.

With her brows raised high on her green forehead, Lady Anhilis pushed her black hair back and sat with her arms crossed. She blinked her spotted eyes a few times, trying to put the pieces together. _Senator Solo and Jedi Master Skywalker,_ she calculated internally, _Together at this late hour? How strange?_ With a wry grin as a particularly devious theory entered her mind, she leaned forward and grabbed her scope from the ground again. She wanted to see what transpired between the two legends of the Galactic Civil War and the infamous Captain Divo, investigator extraordinaire. _Who's ego will be injured first, I wonder._

With a grin as she put a small ear-bud into her ear, she listened carefully to the exchange. "General Skywalker!" Divo greeted as he stepped towards the approaching warriors, his now oversized girth jiggling slightly with each step, "Glad you could make it! I'd heard you'd been transferred here from the front lines and was relieved you were available to us." He beamed, "It's about time we got to meet face-to-face. I got to work with your father a couple of times when he was around your age, you know-"

"-Is that so?" Luke inquired, a casual smile on his face as his sister crossed her arms beside him.. Divo, however, took little to no notice of her, clearly still fixated on talking to the knight before him. "Perhaps you can regale me sometime of your adventures." Luke added to be friendlier. That seemed to make Divo's aura sing.

With a wide grin, he nodded, "It would be my honor. Now-"

_Till he realizes that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are one and the same,_ Leia added bitterly. Luke smirked to himself at her remark.

_Not everyone can worship you, your worship._ Luke reminded her as he stepped forward to accompany Divo to the crime scene.

Leia rolled her eyes, _It's only cute when Han does that._ She could practically feel Luke's chuckle as he and Divo entered the living room attached to the veranda of one Representative Gomen Mato. "The neighbors apparently heard the struggle from their bedroom one floor below and called the Police." Divo began his explanation haughtily, as though having done this a few too many times, "When the droids arrived at the scene, the assailant was gone, and signs of a struggle were evident enough to call for non-droid personnel to investigate."

Leia glanced about the luxurious space, surprised that a representative had enough income to afford some of these luxuries. In the far corner, she noticed a spent death-stick along side at least three more, so it was clear that he was near incapacitated well before the assassin had arrived. By the door, she noticed a large bookshelf comprised of Dornati wood, a rare tree near extinction on its home world. The hallmarks of such trees were their curling age lines. And Leia knew them well thanks to her tenure as senator for the Galactic Empire, when she'd attended a summit on Revalier, where the trees grew.

Other pieces of art also indicated that this Representative Mato had a far greater income than he let on, which meant he had some form of arrangement on the side. _But what?_

"Since Mato didn't have any known enemies," Divo informed Luke with a grin, "I was hoping that you could divine some sort of lead for us to follow." Glancing about, Luke turned towards Leia, who stood admiring a Cheshirian Glass wall mural with interest. And he smiled wide.

"I'd love to." He informed Divo, who's smile grew wider in hearing that, "But, if it is all right with you," And the smile fell flat, "I would like to give my Padawan a chance to 'divine' first. We are rarely presented with this kind of mystery, and I'd be a fool to pass up on the opportunity." Surprised by the sudden adjustment, Divo nodded silently, glancing over to Leia attentively for the first time.

"Senator Organa_-er-_Solo?" Divo suddenly remarked with raised brow, "She's your Padawan!?" Luke chuckled and nodded, calling to his sister through the Force. She turned instantly and walked over towards the men. With eyes wide, despite being tired, she glanced from Divo to Luke with curiosity.

"Captain Divo," She acknowledged with a polite grin and nod.

"Senator Solo." he replied carefully. Luke noted the awkward exchange and promised himself to ask Leia about it later.

Turning to Leia with his grin still plastered to his face, he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Captain Divo has just informed me that the assailant left no leads behind. He was hoping we could locate a clue his droids might have missed."

Leia turned to Luke with her brows raised, unsure of exactly what he was asking her to do. And he sensed that much.

"Remember Queen Julia?" he inquired carefully. Leia thought about it for a moment.

"Of Bardotta?" She wondered as her brother's ever bright eyes blinked the lights of a passing vehicle away. He nodded.

Since the fall of DeathStar II, Luke had spent all his free time collecting Force-abilities from various texts and sages. His array of skills would make Obi-Wan Kenobi blush now. Though Leia accompanied him on many of these journeys, she hadn't always had the control to get all the lessons Luke did. But she was a quick learner, which make Luke's role as master far easier when she wasn't being stubborn.

"She taught us both how to open our eyes to the Force." He reminded her as he stood behind her to put both hands down on each of her shoulders. Luke was well aware he'd have to guide her through this technique, but it seemed too perfect an opportunity not to. "And in doing so, we can use our wills to determine what we see." Leia sighed and closed her eyes as she felt her brother's powerful Force-presence swell up like a star in the sky. He pulled her into a trance long before she was aware of what he was suggesting. "You need only focus on what it is you are looking for." She heard his voice call from a distance. "What do you see?"

Leia opened her eyes suddenly, seeing the room moving as though in slow motion. The colors had faded to shades of some strange, brownish-gray, with light appearing slightly yellow. She knew she was in a trance, and could see it as she stepped away from her body to look around.

Before her was Divo, his robust form teeming with the typical dim, light blue glow of a living person, something Julia had affirmed all living creatures possessed. His mouth was moving so slowly, she was surprised saliva wasn't spilling out of it.

Behind her, she found Luke, standing with his eyes closed while a slight smile remained on his face. He seemed so calm at first, until she focused on him as she had Divo and saw the surprising truth about her brother: he was not alone.

Behind him was this vibrating form, pulsing as though it could not control itself. It glowed a slight blue, but rushed around him, whispering dangerously with the hushed voice of a woman. The way the woman turned about, she practically had her own whirlwind. Her features were tough to see, but she appeared to have long hair and a large dress on. Leia felt slight terror in knowing that something so violent was attached to her brother. She gulped, unsure of what to do. The convulsions of the spirit were starting to turn her stomach.

"What do you see?" Luke's voiced suddenly asked again, echoing around the room. Leia glanced up, trying to find the voice since it clearly hadn't come from her brother's form standing before her. "What have you found Leia?"

Remembering her purpose, she took a deep breath and focused, glancing about the room.

_There will be time to talk about this ghost later._ She decided firmly, and thus the image left her vision entirely. _I need to focus on what I am looking for...I can do this!_

With Luke's subtle guidance, the room instantly began to change. Areas that were once dark glowed and so on. Her senses began to adjust to what she sought slowly, sometimes falling back to the original chaos of the room. But when it did, Luke's presence would appear to bring her back to focus, the good master that he was.

Several places had the same blue light of life, but some were glowing with other attributes. Some were the dangerous, purple-red she'd learned to associate with the dark side. Things like the death-sticks were covered in that burning shadow that made her shudder. Someone had given the Representative those sticks with the intent to kill him. Of that, she was sure. "The death-sticks." she reported in. _But that seems too obvious,_ she realized.

Then she turned her eyes to the rare wooden bookcase, seeing black hand billowing with that same ghastly purple-red from before. "Money hidden in the bookcase... inside the wood. It is hollow..." She added, certain that there would be a clue there. "Pull out the shelves."

_"Aww!"_ She heard Divo moan, _"That weighs at least as much as an astromech!"_ She had to fight her chuckle as she looked around some more for any other clues she could find. And, as she turned about, but-

The screaming face of the violent woman from before manifested not more than an inch from her nose. Her image was planted in Leia's mind as she wailed into her face, dark eyes wide and face twisted in horror. As Leia struggled to back away, the creature grabbed at her face with twisted fingers, wailing all the while. Feeling a sudden drain, Leia stepped back, trying to scream, but lacking the energy to do so.

In a final effort, she attempted a Force-push inside the vision, sending her assailant hurtling into the opposing wall. The woman shrilled as she flew, disappearing before she collided with the brick.

"Leia?" Luke's nervous voice came to her just before his presence spiked and she felt him pull her out of the trance.

Leia swallowed as she regained consciousness from the vision. She could hear the sounds of several droids separating the bookcase from the wall, the crunching grading on her ears, as well as Luke's near silent breathing. He'd been guiding her, standing over her during the trance, but refraining from entering the vision himself. And she could feel his worry... _No, he's angry!?_

Wordlessly, she watched as he opened his icy blue eyes, and wordlessly, he stepped away from her and headed towards the veranda. In that moment, she chose to ignore his demeanor, turning towards Divo instead.

"Well, well, well..." Divo grinned as they pulled out all sorts of DataPads from the shelves, "I've said it before and I'll say it again, politicians have nothing but skeletons to hide." Leia frowned in hearing that, but knew better than to challenge an old man like Divo. Old usually translated to stubborn in her experience. She glanced inside and noted the many stacks of DataPads, all likely linked to why this Representative lived in such luxury and sighed. Divo turned to her in hearing her exhale and smiled wide, "Thank you Senator, you've done us a great service here." She nodded to him, and finally decided to gather her courage and confront her brother.

"My pleasure Lieutenant."

* * *

Luke exhaled deeply as he released his tension into the Force, his tension, jealousy and anger. Since Endor, Luke had not been graced by any image of his father. It had been four years, and none of his former guides had appeared to aid him. The loneliness was a struggle for him. That presence in her vision felt so much like him, he wasn't sure what else to think.

Now he was frustrated! Especially in knowing that Leia was being visited by their departed father and rejecting him. Luke would have done anything for that.

Before, he could sense his father around, likely trying to mend the wounds that drove them so far apart. Trying to apologize and be forgiven, even though all of them knew just how futile that was. Leia was a kind person, but some grudges she carried. And her grudge against Darth Vader was one of them. Only Moff Tarkin garnered more hate than he.

But Luke loved their father. The man had sacrificed his own life to protect him, and, in his own twisted way, had expressed a deep caring for him that was complicated to understand. But that didn't take away from the legitimacy of his love.

In many ways, he could not understand why his sister would push Anakin Skywalker away. He was a man who would undoubtedly do his best to steer her in the right direction, just as Obi-Wan Kenobi had for him.

And yet, It seemed she'd banished him back to the afterlife.

Such knowledge left him fighting his sourness, even as Leia approached him. He didn't want to confront her over it, he just wanted to release the emotions and be understanding. Leia wasn't as committed to being a Jedi as he. She couldn't separate herself from her emotions as a Jedi must. And she was a victim, more so than he, to their father's cruelty from the days when he sported the dark side like a favorite jacket. Her desire to keep him at further than arms length was entirely normal. Entirely forgivable.

"Luke?" Leia inquired gently, resting a hand on her brother's shoulder. When he didn't shrug her away, she realized that he was in the process of letting his tension go. "What happened?" She inquired of him earnestly, "Who was that woman attached to you?"

Luke near jumped, "What woman?" Leia stared at him, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. "I didn't sense anyone but father in that vision with you," He added after a time, when the turbulence of his feelings simmered down, "Didn't you see him?" Leia sighed and turned her eyes down towards Luke's mechanical right hand.

Though it didn't look different from any other hand, the internal structures of the prosthetic were all metal and wire, with some plastic. It was designed to look normal and be relatively maintenance free, which is why she'd insisted upon it back during the days of the Galactic Civil War. Back when their father had chopped Luke's hand clear off with his crimson lightsaber.

Over a year later, Luke explained that their father was prone to rage in reaction to pain, which he had given him in their duel in the form of a slice to his arm. Leia remembered feeling how important their father was to Luke. He was Luke's roll-model, both of who to become and who to avoid becoming at all costs. It was not surprising to see him struggle over this perceived unfairness.

"Father was not there at all." She admitted to her brother as she turned to gaze at his profile, "Only this strange, witch-like woman. She seemed to be struggling, screaming even..." Leia then took a deep breath, "She terrified me."

Luke swallowed, his eyes suddenly scanning the verandas across the way. He was listening, but focused on something else as well. "What did she do?"

Leia sighed, following her brother's lead in seeking out danger across the way. She could feel his presence reach out, touching everything in search of clues as to what was making his senses go off. "This ghost grabbed on to me and I felt all my power disappear."

Surprised, Luke turned to Leia with his jaw dropped. But the visual exchange only lasted a minute before the pull of the Force told them to duck or die. A shot rang out in the valley between apartment complexes, and Luke and Leia just barely missed being killed by it. Hiding behind a partial column, the two reached for their lightsabers at their belts and stood up with green and blue blades ready to deflect bolts.

Their assailant had no problem aiming at them, their shots coming uncomfortably close to their mark, but Leia and Luke, especially, were too skilled with in a variety of Jedi defensive forms to be struck down, their blades resembling twin hurricanes of light as they sent the bolts back across the ravine. Soon, their Mirialan assailant holstered her rifle, and leaped aboard a swoopbike towards the lower districts of Coruscant.

Not ready to let her go, Luke and Leia followed suit, with Lieutenant Divo rushing out to the veranda to assess the situation. All Leia could do was wave to him as Luke took off after the assassin with their speeder.

Their speeder hummed angrily as Luke pushed it to its top speeds, racing through the skyline and interrupting the late night traffic patterns. Several horns went off, and shouts sounded as the Skywalker twins tore apart the air in pursuit of their Mirialan suspect.

Yet she was a skillful driver as well, weaving in and out of traffic to throw Luke off her trail, but she had picked the wrong pilot to race against.

Luke turned and arched the speeder with relative ease, aligning himself with the swoopbike diagonally. Leia readied herself with her lightsaber, planning on disabling the forward thrusters, to leave the woman stranded in the middle of the road, but she was met with a surprise.

As Leia stood up to swing, the Mirialan donned her own, deep crimson lightsaber and swung it at the unsuspecting Senator-Jedi. In the nick of time, Leia blocked the strike and parried with one of her own, stepping out on the the hood of the speeder while Luke continued to keep pace with the assailant. As the two women waged war thousands of feet above Corsucant's level 0, Luke focused on disabling those forward thrusters with the Force, keeping just enough concentration on driving to ensure Leia would not be thrown off.

He'd seen those thrusters before. He knew which gears to crush.

With a distinctive pop-bang! the forward thrusters of the swoopbike puttered out, leaving the Mirialan floating helplessly in the air while Luke and Leia swept around to capture her. But, just as they neared her, she jumped from her swoop bike into a free-falling speeder, driven by a very angry looking Togruta male.

Cursing in at least three languages to himself, Luke angled his speeder down and made to follow the pair. Leia felt sweat build on her forehead as she watched the speedometer of Luke's vehicle throw numbers out that she didn't realize it could reach; sweat that was brushed away by the harsh winds of their fall. The city around them became a blur as they neared the male Togruta's speeder. But as they did, the Mirialan pulled her rifle out once more and began shooting at Luke. To protect her brother, Leia countered with her lightsaber.

At one point, however, a bolt came close to hitting her. But this stray shot was blocked by a green blade that swooped by swiftly.

Leia frowned and turned her eyes back to the two ahead of them. She noticed that, at this rate, they were going to run out of airspace to fly in. And yet, the Togruta was still diving in a free fall.

_Is he crazy?_

Luke sighed, "No crazier than we are." It was then that another bolt nearly hit Leia, but her arms rose swiftly enough to deflect it. "But we've gotta end this chase now. I don't want these two getting away... They're _both_ Force-sensitive." Leia gulped in hearing that, and started looking about to form a plan while her brother focused on keeping them both in pursuit and alive.

It was then that she spotted some of the poorer district's many laundry lines. Calling on a cable with the Force, she took hold of the line and attached it to the Togruta's speeder by the back bumper. The Mirialan took note of this and started trying to shoot it off. Luke smirked when he saw that, and helped his sister in coordinating the other end, securing it to the front of his speeder.

And then he slammed on the breaks, stopping them safely by level 42.

Both twins were panting as they watched the Togruta and Mirialan slam their heads into the glass windshield. Their lack of movement made the twins smile with equally devilish grins.

"Nice call." Luke complimented his sister jovially, switching gears to pull the two speeders onto the roof of a restaurant one level up.

As the two speeders floated into park with a jerk, Luke and Leia hopped out of their silver speeder to assess the damage of the black one they'd been following. Both had a lightsaber in their hands and were moving carefully, probing the space tentatively with the Force as they moved.

The damage was extensive; the windshield was nonexistent, and the rear bumper was about to fall off. Pairing those with the damage from deflected blaster bolts, the vehicle looked more like Swiss cheese than it did a speeder. Luke only hoped his speeder was in better shape; he was actually afraid to look.

After a few moments, both stood straight up, abandoning their battle-ready stances. "I think they're out of it." Leia noted before the _pop-screech_ of two lightsabers proved her wrong. Both warriors sprang to life, their eyes colored the intense inferno-yellow of an angry Sith. For the first time, Luke and Leia felt their distinct presence as practitioners of the dark side. The cold that ran down their spines almost froze them in their efforts to defend themselves... almost.

Igniting their lightsabers, the two of them waged war against these monsters. The Togruta faced off against Luke, his sharp teeth showing wide behind an angry snarl as he slashed at Luke with every swift movement he could think of. But Luke was a patient warrior, earned from years of things going wrong all the time, and he dodged and parried carefully while looking for an opening to end this conflict swiftly. "Foolish Skywalker!" the Togruta hissed, "You're no match for me!"

Luke smirked to himself, "I haven't heard that one before." He replied before the hole in his opponents stance became apparent and wide. He stepped back to stab at the man's shoulder, only to watch him dodge and return with another crescendo of slices and strikes.

Leia's opponent was no better or worse. She dance around Leia with a peculiar cackle, trying to keep the young warrior on her toes as she pushed her out of stance after stance. Leia wasn't as adept at lightsaber combat as Luke, and so she relied extensively on her stances to ground her, but this Mirialan saw through her moves and was trying to break her.

Rather than endure another change of pace, Leia grew frustrated and quickly reached out to grab a metal crate from a nearby platform. The Mirialan didn't see it coming until it nearly collided with her, which was all the distraction Leia needed to push her out of the offensive with her own series of strikes. Leia was about to corner her when the sudden cry of a male rang out on the rooftop.

Both she and the Mirialan turned their heads with a jerk, each hoping that the cry they heard was not their partner. To Leia's relief, Luke stood over the Togruta with his saber raised, with the pitiful orange man on the ground and curled over his arm in agony. Apparently her brother had severed most of his fingers from his hand, and thus ended the fight. Few could survive the shock of amputation, much less function with it.

With a string of curses, the Mirialan lunged forward and collected her partner. She swiftly started moving towards the edge of the roof.

Luke and Leia made to follow her, but were stopped in their tracks to deflect a sudden burst of lightning strikes from level 48. They glanced up to spot a green speeder angling down, a cloaked figure in the passenger seat while a droid drove. The assailants hopped in swiftly while the cloaked warrior continued to barrage Luke and Leia, going so far as to aim for Luke's speeder in the process.

And in an instant, they were gone.

Both twins glanced about the sky, hoping to spot something to help them, be it a speeder or police droid. When none became apparent, Luke sighed and returned to his now demolished vehicle.

"I'll call Divo." he volunteered when he suddenly stopped in his tracks with a hiss of pain.

With a great cry of agony, he put his hands over his face, where mysterious hand prints were forming over his cheeks. He shrieked and jerked, trying to pull the invisible threat from himself. All the while, he grew more tired. Exhausted even. _Leia, help me!_

Leia turned to him, sensing his alarm in the Force, and watched as her brother collapsed, his body seizing as he shouted into the night. "Get away from me!" Moments later, as Leia stood over him, the convulsions started.

* * *

**Author's Note: I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who reacted to my story, especially with reviews, follows or favorites. This is my first time posting on and it is exciting to see all the responses. I did invent a few more things this chapter, Lady Anhilis being the most prominent, but also Representative Gomen Mato and all the luxuries in his apartment. Again, I will do my best to post when I can. In the meantime, please continue to respond and, especially, review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Mothers

_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._

**Author's Note: This chapter does include some spoilers from The Clone Wars: Season 5. If you haven't watched that far, I would suggest that you wait until you have.**

* * *

The Mirialan Lady Anhilis knew she was in trouble. Knew she was in very big trouble. _Listen and observe,_ she reminded herself angrily, _why couldn't you just follow directions for once?_ But no, she had to take the shots. She saw an opening to maim Skywalker and she just couldn't resist.

_And now Lady Pestilis is going to have my hide._

As they landed themselves inside the small, cavernous hangar hidden away near the old Rebel Base on Yavin IV, the three cloaked figures gazed at one another wearily. Their mission had been a failure. A complete failure as it were, and they hadn't the slightest idea what to do about it. Well, two of them didn't anyways.

The first two figures were the orange and green faced Sith Lords from before. They strode behind the third one, one who was raggedy and old, clamoring down the ramp of their shuttle with a scrappy looking walking stick as she hunched over. The old hag was a human, her hair thin and frizzy, white and gray. She looked about the deck with dark green eyes, tinted with the familiar Sith yellow of her anger as she marched onward towards the sitting area.

She was furious.

And why wouldn't she be? She'd been planning for years to eliminate Skywalker, ever since the battle of Endor when, somehow, balance was brought to the Force. According to her guide, Sidious had died, fallen victim to a 'reformed' Darth Vader, who resumed his persona as Anakin Skywalker before dying. And since then, Vader's son, Luke, had done all he could to build up the light side of the Force. Darkness, it seemed, was slipping away. And that was something she would not allow.

"When they arrived inside the main resting area, she sat herself down by the HoloNet projector and turned it on, wearily watching the news as it unraveled before her. The main focus was on a thin, shapely woman with dark eyes and a gentle smile. That smile had won over many allies in the past few years, from space rogues to stately empires, not to mention Jedi Masters. Leia Organa Solo.

A princess from a fallen world, she'd become an icon, beloved by all and praised as the most beautiful human-woman in the galaxy. The old hag had heard many a space dweller complement the princess's slender form. Her pale clear skin was a favorite contrast to her dark hair and eyes. She was a constant favorite in the Senate. And a Jedi Padawan, one of the best she'd seen in a while in fact, though that fact might have something to do with her master.

Luke Skywalker stood at her side, proud and stoic as usual. His blue eyes no longer held that youthful glow from the day he destroyed the Death Star , but his demeanor was not unlike the masters that had preceded him. Were she a younger woman without a savage temper, she likely would have swooned at the curve of his jaw, his straight nose and bright eyes. But she was an old witch.

With a quick glance towards the Mirialan, she noted someone was indeed a fan of his features. W_hy else would her eyes be facing the image, while her face chooses the floor? _The hag debated, mentally chastising her apprentice for such interests. Or for choosing not to fight Skywalker despite being the more experienced of her two apprentices, _t__hough now I understand why._

But no, she'd rather seethe at the sight of the blonde youth. His resemblance to his father was uncanny, with his height being the only major difference between the two save for build. Whereas Anakin Skywalker trained his body for strength, his son Luke was conditioned for speed. The man was as swift on his toes as a landspeeder was over sand and that had cost them dearly on Coruscant.

"Master?" came the chirpy voice of her female apprentice, "Master Pestilis?" She tried once more before the old hag waved her hand at her. The Mirialan practically tiptoed towards the old hag, knowing full well how dangerous her mood swings could be. "Master Pestilis, Lord Devaro is currently being inspected by the medic droid. They intend to amputate some of his hand to rebuild it, since he started healing so soon. They are worried about-" Pestilis merely nodded her worn head, her eyes still on the screen where Skywalker and Organa stood with the third member of their trio.

Han Solo was another icon of this new era. He stood taller than Skywalker by a few inches and had a warrior's build. Many a lady had fallen for his charming smile and dark eyes, which apparently got him in trouble with the love of his life a few times.

_Organa's husband._ Pestilis noted with interest as she watched the three of them orient themselves before the press interviewing them. _T__he woman married him, yet she stands closer to Skywalker. Is Skywalker that much more comfortable to her? Or is there something exploitable I am missing?_

She pushed those thoughts aside once she realized what her overly theatrical mind was planning. Attempting to break their friendships apart wouldn't be enough to turn Skywalker: he was far too immersed in the light now. Nor would it destroy Organa. And something about them made her think of only platonic relationships. _Brother and sister!_ She finally realized, _They can only be brother and sister! They have the same birthdays! No wonder his heart is so incorruptible. Force-sensitive twins are near impossible to turn alone._

"What shall I do next, my master?" The Mirialan standing hesitantly before her inquired.

Pestilis took a deep breath. _Good question._ She noted as she scanned her ancient mind for anything useful. _What can we do against a man that strong? How can we stop a woman that persistent?_ She found herself cursing Anakin Skywalker. _His stupid libido has brought a scourge upon the universe that cannot be easily fixed._ The boy, and likely the girl, was never supposed to be born, since the Jedi of Coruscant were forbidden from having families, and yet the father must have spotted someone he'd liked enough on his travels to be a little bold.

_But if they had never been born... the galaxy would have been a very different place_. Sidious would still be ruling, for one, and Vader would have never changed affiliations. He wouldn't have had a son to protect and love and make him soft. A_nd more importantly, the Death Star would not have been destroyed because of that tramp and her hick of a brother_. She'd loved that wondrous invention, after all.

_Yes,_ it seemed she had the answer, and thanks to her old job in the Jedi Archive, the means. "We must prepare ourselves for a very difficult journey." She told her young apprentice, "Lady Anhilis, there is something in the ruins of the Old Jedi Temple which we must acquire."

Anhilis's dark eyes found her master in confusion, "A relic, my master?" Pestilis nodded with certainty, smiling as she eyed how the unsuspecting General Skywalker turned away from the cameras. He tended to do that a lot, she noticed.

"Yes, a relic." She replied to her ever willing student, "But first, bring me the birth records of both Skywalker and Senator Solo."

* * *

Luke was frustrated as he meandered back to his apartment that evening. It had been a long day. Seizing in the early morning led to him waking up in the hospital. His apparent ailment was so fantastic that the whole media circus had shown up and demanded an explanation. So, after spending three hours recovering and six hours taking tests to figure out just what had knocked him right off his feet, Luke was then forced to endure a three hour press conference on next to no sleep and thirty different pain pills or something (he'd lost count after the drug polyzimisarasthicsthsius was mentioned).

Feeling the day in every fiber of his being, Luke sighed and fell directly on his comfy couch. The one piece of furniture he would not let his sister over-rule. With a chuckle, Luke asked the air, "I wonder where she learned to micromanage from." As if to give him an answer, Artoo, his astromech, zipped out of his room and into the living area. He'd been charged over night and spent the whole day finishing out the new parts Luke wanted to add into his refurbished A-Wing.

Though he loved his X-Wing first and foremost, the A-Wing provided easier landing on smaller ports and he knew a few missions were in the works where a smaller vehicle would be needed.

"How are the parts looking Artoo?" Luke inquired as he shut his eyes to tolerate the bleeps and bloops of his favorite little blue astromech. "That so? How much did the hydrospanner cost me?" Again, Artoo let loose his binary, making Luke's head hurt just a bit. But he would not dare ask the droid to leave. He's survived many a skirmish thanks to this veteran, and he wasn't about to start disrespecting him. Something about the droid was special, and he knew that the moment they'd met.

"Sounds good." He told the droid as he powered on the HoloProjector once more. This time, however, he wasn't watching the HoloNet, he was reviewing files.

Scanning through the myriad of unsolved cases that were piling up on the still young Jedi Order, Luke was trying to find any clue as to the three he and Leia had fought that morning. The problem was, there were many groups of three comprised of a male Togruta, female Mirialan and a third. I_t would be a lot easier with that last one pegged._ Luke admitted to himself. This search would at least take him a few hours, if not the whole evening.

"Yaay." He grumbled to himself as nearly three thousand Togrutas with felonies popped up on his screen. As his headache resurfaced, he started planning how he could better research this trio. _I could pass it on to one of the Padawans at the temporary temple_. Most of them were still fairly new, only having been there a year or so. He realized it seemed more effective for him to handle this personally.

And it did seem personal. The Togruta knew him by name, not that many didn't anymore, but he seemed most eager to take him down. Perhaps it was his reputation for facing both Darth Vader and Emporer Palpatine and living. Either way, it was unsettling that he was targeted. _Better than it being Leia though_, he reminded himself, trying not to draw upon his anger from the morning.

Though Leia had assured him over and over again that their father hadn't entered her vision, Luke was still struggling to believe her. He knew his father's presence. _And this person clearly was a Skywalker._

He sighed as he pushed that whole argument away for another time. It did him no good to deliberate the lack of visits he'd gotten from his ghastly guardians. He hadn't seen Yoda, Obi-Wan or his father since Endor, and he was desperate for their guidance. The Jedi Order was proving a lot more difficult to moderate than he'd expected, not that he'd anticipated a cake walk.

_Their silence does not mean a lack of love_, came that gentle, female voice Luke had been hearing most of the morning. It was a quiet voice for the most part, almost like a whisper he wasn't sure he'd actually heard. But, with this headache, it had become most noticeable inside his head.

With a sigh, Luke stretched his hand out and reached for the pill bottle he'd left on the kitchen counter with the Force. It flew to him swiftly, D_on't shut me out Luke,_ the woman warned, Ho_w often has my voice saved you from the brink of death?... Like the Sandpeople when you were five... or have you forgotten?_

Recalling the doctor's warning about the aftereffects of his test regime that morning, Luke sighed and downed the recommended dosage before closing his eyes and yawning. It didn't take long for his headache to die down. He then turned back to the HoloProjector to read the case files on a male Togruta with a picture matching the one he'd fought that morning.

He was mostly orange with some white stripes here and there, but what gave him away was the large peach patches on his face under his eyes and across his nose. His montrals were fully developed and out-turned, but one of them appeared cracked from a skirmish. He was clearly part human, despite the sharp, toothy grin he'd given the camera sarcastically. And his name was Zion Tano.

"Murderous rampage on Onderon..." Luke read aloud in a mumbled voice, "Comforting... looks about right too." And Zion matched the description perfectly, now that Luke could actually concentrate on what the warrior had looked like. What bothered Luke most about this profile though, was that he was no older than nineteen.

_That old and already sour...not that I can talk_.

_Your heart is practically made of gold, my dear_. Came that woman's voice once more, _You needn't chastise nor guilt yourself anymore._

Sitting up, Luke saved the profile into his current projects and then furrowed a brow. "Why do I know that name?" he wondered aloud, leaning forward to study the screen again. He clicked on known relatives and found that the young man had quite a few people to miss him. His four living relatives were comprised of two younger sisters, Minaka and Lucika, one age fifteen and the other age eleven. And it was clear they were related, as all of them had the same peach patches and marks. Only, instead of the Sith yellow infested eyes their brother had, Minaka and Lucika had brown and blue eyes respectively.

Also living are his maternal grandparents, Zionika and Ahsonia. They seemed decent enough, though neither explained the peach patches of their grandchildren. _So he's an orphan... like me._

Almost instantly, Luke began plotting how to save this man. He understood the burdens of the dark side well enough to know that no practitioner truly wanted the lifestyle. It was only a matter of making them understand that letting go of the addictive power wasn't as hard as it seemed.

_Still... what about his parents?... _No father was listed for the three of them, and strangely, neither was their mother. Luke was only able to find her information by looking into Zionika's descendents and finding the name Ahsoka Tano among them. And that was when Luke made the connection...

"Father's Padawan!" To his good fortune, Obi-Wan Kenobi had left a fairly detailed log of his adventures with Anakin Skywalker, and her name had appeared on several entries.

Now more curious than ever, Luke began shuffling through information. _What happened to you Tano?_ He wondered as he clicked through the many pages about her, some of which were survived archives of her glories victories alongside various Jedi masters. Almost anything related to Skywalker had been deleted by an angry Vader shortly after the Jedi purges. What he did find, however, disturbed him.

_Victory on Shilli- Jedi Dispatched in Glorious Battle!_

_Prior to the victory over the separatists, Jedi Padawan Tano had been tried for arson and found guilty, in the incident around an explosion in the Old Jedi Temple in the year 15:5. Senator Padme Amidala had operated as legal council, but was unable to overturn suspicion until a Jedi Knight provided the real culprit in Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee. Despite a prestigious career alongside traitors like Jedi Master Plo Koon and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (still at large), after being exonerated of the crime she chose to turn her back on the Order and reap her own chaos in the Shilli System. This was until an anonymous tip alerted Storm Trooper Bases in the area of her nefarious activities. She was then promptly executed by a squadron of the 501st, led by newly appointed Clone General and Arc Trooper CT-7567, who cleverly used..._

Luke froze in reading that. The 501st was his father's favorite regiment, which essentially meant that Darth Vader had killed his own apprentice. _No wonder he had such blood-lust._

_It is not you that he hates, my dear. _The woman's voice informed him with sorrow. _He wants revenge on the traitor that sold his mother out._

Sighing, Luke sat back and began trying to sort out a way to reach this man. He had siblings to worry about and gallivanting across the galaxy on a revenge spree would hardly help them. But he also realized that calling on Minaka and Lucika would not do them any good either. Perhaps leveling with him would be a solution. _I could never hurt Leia like that,_ Luke decided with a nod, _Knowing that turning to the dark side would destroy her is what has always kept me in the light. I wont poison her life like that._

Speaking of which, Leia was at his door already. It had only been a half an hour, but he wasn't surprised. When he was sick, she was there and, usually, he would at least visit her when she was ill. Though, Luke tried not to visit too often and overwhelm his brother-in-law.

"Come in." Luke called as he heard the door slide open.

Artoo immediately beeped at the door, greeting Leia warmly as she stepped around the droid and allowed Threepio to enter the room. "Artoo Deetoo." Threepio called out, "Please tell me you've been taking good care of Master Luke. He's in such a state right now, you know." The beeps and bloops Artoo shot back at the golden protocol droid indicated that Artoo didn't take kindly to Threepio's lack of formality. Luke could only chuckle.

"Luke." Leia scolded him as she pulled the remote into her hand with the Force to turn off the projector, "Shame on you!... The doctor said to take it easy."

Shrugging and trying not to roll his eyes like a teenager, Luke sat back on the sofa, "Yes mom." Leia stared at him incredulously before setting her leftovers down on the counter.

"Hey, Leia?" came the voice of the ever sarcastic Han Solo as he walked through the door, "where should I move our furniture anyways, since we are clearly moving into your _older_ brother's apartment." Leia glared at Han as she moved to start the stove up.

"If he _were_ my older brother, I wouldn't have to take care of him." She shot back.

"I can take care of myself just fine, Leia." Luke called from his chair, where he was fighting chuckling at Han's eye-roll.

"Which is why your apartment lacked curtains, throw pillows and a plunger..." she reminded him in the same tone he'd used on her, "Among other necessities."

"Who needs a plunger on Tatooine?" Luke chided her as he turned to where she was stirring up something for him to eat, "We vaporize all our waste, or compost it in the hopes that someday... somehow... something will grow on that dustball."

Han chuckled as he seated himself next to Luke, "And your compost heap lasted how long?" Rolling his eyes, the male Skywalker called the remote from the kitchen and flipped through the rest of Ahsoka Tano's file absently. He could sense Leia's glare at his back.

"Old Jedi stuff?" Han inquired as he skimmed the basics, seating himself beside Luke. Luke nodded, "Anything on those guys that attacked you this morning?" Again Luke nodded, sensing Leia's interest in the topic from the kitchen. Though, at the moment, she was a little distracted.

Threepio was beginning to fuss about finding bowls and spoons, since Luke got fed up with the old organization of his kitchen and moved all his cabinets around again. He had to admit it was kind of fun to do that, and watch Leia and Threepio get frustrated when they overtook his apartment. Needless to say, he reorganized often.

"This woman is the mother of the male we fought." Luke admitted, "And our father's old Padawan."

"As in Sith apprentice?" Leia wondered aloud.

"Luke shook his head, "Nope, Jedi."

"So Vader killed her then?" sighing, Luke turned back to his sister.

"Would it kill you to call him father for once?" He added in frustration, feeling his anger from the morning return. Leia had no response. She'd been waiting all day for him to react like that. Burying strong emotions was about as easy for Luke as it was for Leia... just a little under near impossible.

Sensing a fight brewing with his Correlian Smuggler instincts, Han intervened the best way he knew how, "So is this guy after you for that, or what?"

Luke shrugged, "Who all really knows that Vader is _our_ father?" He could hear Leia grumble from the kitchen, making Han swallow. When the twins fought, once in a great-great while, it was usually pretty ugly.

"Who really cares that Vader is our father?" Leia pointed out, "We fought on different sides of the Civil War, against _him._.. We cannot be held accountable for his crimes."

Luke shrugged, turning to Han to see that the man agreed with his cynical perspective on the subject. With a nod, both men chose not to answer that question. And Leia could sense their camaraderie.

"Where the hell are the ladles?" She demanded as Threepio stepped back to let her tear Luke's kitchen apart.

"Ladles?" Luke wondered dryly, his expression unchanging, "Since when did I have ladles?" He turned around to see Leia's incredulous face grow flustered as she searched for the missing kitchen utensil.

"Since _I_ bought them last week when I realized_ you_ didn't have any." She informed him.

Han turned to Luke, "So when am I getting reimbursed for all these purchases your loving sister has made in your name?" Luke smirked.

"Not ever, seeming as she has literally used my name to buy all of them." Luke retorted, crossing his arms, "I always know when she's shopping for me, because my credit chips keep disappearing and I get notices from Scipio about my unusually girly signature." Han busted out laughing, picturing clearly in his mind the face of the Muun who noticed _that_ irregularity. "What's funny is she always signs 'Leia Skywalker'... It's like she forgets she's using my chip until after she's written her name and is like, 'whatever.'"

While her husband chortled his lungs into inactivity, Leia walked over to Luke and passed him a large bowl of some sort of stew. Despite its regurgitated appearance, it smelled fantastic. "You're welcome." She told him as she dropped the bowl into his hands, "I'll be sure to sign your name with big hearts next time." was what she called as she meandered back into the kitchen for her's and Han's portions. Apparently they hadn't ate either.

Luke lifted his spoon carefully, assessing the murky looking substance with a raised brow. He wasn't a picky eater, but he certainly never had problems inspecting his food. A few surprises from his old friend Biggs Darklighter taught him that much.

And suddenly, an epiphany struck him.

"I think I know what your problem is, sis." He called to her as she passed Han his bowl. She paused to regard him with a face that screamed 'don't you dare.' But Luke only smiled and shrugged, "You aren't happy with your current assignment."

Her shoulders slumped at the comment, and Leia turned her eyes towards the kitchen once more. But her clear dislike of the subject did not silence her brother. "Being a senator and then a leader of the alliance allowed you plenty of time to manage, plan and coordinate. You got the chance to feel important, and your current role just doesn't fulfill you anymore." Seating herself in the chair beside Luke's sofa, Leia sighed and shook her head.

"What would make you say that?" She wondered aloud.

Both Han and Luke looked at one another, with Han being the one daring enough to answer her, "Well, for one thing... if you were happy with your job, you'd have told us to shovel our own slop into our bowls." Leia looked up at her husband dangerously, "Your worshipfulness." He added for good measure, which brought a smile to her face.

"And you'd be more intent on your own life instead of always trying to take care of me." Luke added with a sigh. "I mean, you did get married eight months ago... if you haven't forgotten." The room was silent as Leia pondered what the two most important men in her life had said. She couldn't help but agree with them.

"I..." she mumbled a moment, before finally confessing what was really making her miserable, "You've got half of it right. Mon hasn't been giving me very interesting assignments as of late, and I can't stand just sitting there while other people are in the thick of it all. But... Han, Luke..." she glanced up at them, noting that their full attention was on her, "I'm a former senator of a planet that no longer exists... I have no home, no place where my memories belong... no real identity anymore." By now, the tears she'd been trying so hard to shed for so long were falling, "And I can't stand knowing that all that is missing. Working before used to distract me from that."

Han reached over and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. She instantly set her bowl of 'slop' down and crawled close to her husband to sniffle. Neither man could fully understand how she felt, but both knew better than to let her feel it alone.

_You're a good brother_. The woman told him, _You and your sister have always tried to take care of each other, even through the Force when your consciousness wasn't aware the other existed_.

Sitting forward, Luke glanced around the room, trying to find the source of that strange voice. His eyes spotted a shadow for a moment by his office door, but the image was fleeting, vanishing away as he stared at it.

Thinking it his meds, Luke sat back to find a solution for his sister. The probably-not-really-there voice was right, they did take care of each other, and Han too. Their little family circus had formed long before they'd realized it, with other members like Chewie, Wedge and Lando added in.

But they were a family of friends, and Leia was having an identity crisis. She needed a family of family. Someone to reassure her that she came from something beautiful and was capable of just that: being beautiful and amazing.

"Mother." Luke suddenly suggested, out of the blue and surprising both of his guests. Realizing what he'd just said, Luke nodded to himself once more, "We should try again... Try to find out more about our mother." He then turned to Leia, who's eyes were both wide and contemplative. "It might not bring Alderaan back," he told her, "But having more of your identity could possibly help how you're feeling."

Han smiled, rubbing Leia's back as he considered that, "Now _that's_ an idea." He turned to Leia with a big grin, bringing one to her own face as well, "I like this guy, he's got ideas." Both Skywalkers chuckled at the comment, with Luke suddenly opening his database and searching for their father's information, or what was left of it. The empire had enjoyed censuring data a tad too much during its twenty year reign, unfortunately.

Leia interjected quietly, "It isn't like we haven't tried finding her before."

"Deleted data is being restored every day." He pointed out, "Who knows what else we might find if we look now." Again, Leia sighed, sitting back to curl into her husband, slop long forgotten.

They watched as the screen flew through databank after databank, mostly spewing headlines. Luke had trained his search engine a while ago to incorporate all his father's old selective deletions into any search with Anakin Skywalker listed._ Kenobi and - attack Separatist Bases on Felucia; Skywalker and Tano Rescue Hutling,Hero with No Fear Finally Gets a Padawan, - and Yularen Rescue Forces on Alderaan..._ "Well isn't that ironic." Leia pointed out, mildly irritated with fate.

Luke turned to her with both brows raised, "Yularen... Not Tarkin."

"Not what I was talking about." Leia pointed out, steering Luke's attention towards the line at the bottom of the screen. A_midala and - Uncover Separatist Plot on Naboo_.

"So what? We knew they were acquaintances before." Luke replied flatly, crossing his arms.

Han raised his hand, "Hi! Missed the Force-sensitive dialogue here." Both twins turned to him with smirks.

"No dialogue." Leia told him, "We caught a skit last night by Ziya and Gija about Naboo." Han's brows raised as he nodded.

"And this Amidala is?" He pressed sarcastically.

"Former Queen and Senator of the Naboo." Luke answered, now pulling up her file in the database, which had been recently restored according to the time stamp in the corner of the file. "Born 11 BrS, died 16...5...2-" he couldn't believe what he was reading.

"16.5.24?" Leia echoed as she read that, "She died on our birthday?"

"Now _that_ is a coincidence." Han noted as he sat forward to read through the file with interest. "And of 'mysterious causes' of all things... who does that sound like?" Both twins turned to Han with paled faces and looks of despair.

"This can't be right." Luke decided as he sat back, putting a hand to his temple to steady the headache. Leia turned to him cynically.

"Why?" She nearly demanded, "Because Vader was such a saint?"

Luke glanced back her way and sighed, "No... this is too easy. Nothing is ever this easy." Han nodded beside Leia, completely agreeing.

"Look..." Leia pointed out suddenly, her voice urgent, "She died still pregnant...or, were they sure?... Who would have jumbled her medical files like this?"

Both Han and Luke had an answer for that "Droid." They told her simultaneously. Almost instantly, Artoo began berating them, to which both men apologized swiftly, arms up in defense and all.

All of them sat in silence as they read over her file, contemplating the data carefully. "So..." Leia listed the facts off, "We have a senator that died on our birthday... She was pregnant... She worked with Vader at least once..."

"...She looks a lot like you." Han added while Luke nodded, his brow raised as he read on. And the resemblance was astounding. Though Amidala's face was relatively wider in both features and shape, they had similar noses and eye color. Even their cheeks had the same placement.

"Then there's that..." Leia didn't argue with them, "Her body was exhumed for additional autopsies, but... some DNA might still be there if we want to check it... If Pooja will let us."

"Pooja?" Han wondered, "What does she have to do with this Amidala chick anyway?"

"She's Amidala's niece." Luke informed him.

Curious more than anything, Luke searched for any headline with both Skywalker and Amidala in it. The results made their jaws dropped.

"Wow..." Han commented after the thirtieth title appeared, "Theirs was an extensive partnership." Luke nodded in agreement as he read through the details of an attempt to prevent civil war on Mon Cala. It seemed that this senator was sent on many missions with his father, ones where he was both her escort and bodyguard.

"It just can't be her." Luke shook his head, "If it were this obvious back then, Palpatine would have found me and Leia right away." Neither could really deny that. Considering how long Luke and Leia remained both anonymous and oblivious to their origins, they had to assume that their maternity was equivocally as mystifying. Especially when they considered all the care that was put into hiding them.

So yes, Amidala was a candidate. In fact, they considered her once before, before her file had been reintroduced into the archives during the Civil Data Access Transfer. The new information around her death put her back at the top of the list again, but...

"What other women had we considered before? Maybe we should run through them all again." Leia wondered.

"For the most part," Luke reminded her, "We were looking at Jedi, since father spent most of his time in the Order. Humans specifically. Only a couple survived the purges, meaning those women were top candidates... but father did kill most of them eventually. We had ruled out all but three of them based on how few their physical commonalities were to ours. One was a Jedi by the name of Shadday Potkin. She was killed by our father. Another was Sia-Lan Wezz, who was also killed shortly after we were born. We were also looking into Callista Masana."

The twins sat back simultaneously, "So we have Senator Amidala and Knights Potkin, Masana and Wezz... anyone else we can think of, or should we go over the list again?" Leia wondered aloud. Both men furrowed their brows and shook their heads.

"The other option is to revisit every world father was at during the clone wars." Luke reminded her, "And we'd likely be dead before exhausting the list."

Han smirked, "Not true." Both twins turned to him, brows raised, "You've got two months to look through, right? It would have to be someone he met while within those two months." The two of them glanced at one another, considering what he meant. It made sense to limit the search to around the time they would have been conceived. But that would make sense if their father fell victim to passion and not a true instance of love. And, though Leia felt passion or lust made more sense, Luke truly hoped that their lives were a result of love, and therefore...

"I'd rather look into these four first." Luke decided, turning his eyes to Leia. She frowned a bit, but nodded.

"Then I'll contact Pooja in the morning." She told him with a big smile. He could only smile back at her, relieved that he'd at least given her some semblance of hope.

* * *

**Author's Note Part II: I certainly hope this longer chapter was enjoyable. Anhilis, Pestilis, Davros/Zion Tano, Minaka, Lucika, Zionika and Ahsonia Tano are all my inventions. I especially like their names, as they took a while to come up with. You'll meet some more of them later, but not all of them. I realize that this story lists that both Anakin and Padme are main characters; I promise they are coming and I certainly feel that their scenes are well worth the wait. I plan to sew quite a bit of discord into their relationship and make this story as fun as possible.**

**I did try to upload this earlier, but had a major error with the computer script mixing in with my story. Despite spending a long, long time trying to catch all the coding in my text, I can't guarantee I got them all. If you see a typo, could you PM me and let me know. It will be easier to fix it that way. I really appreciate the help.**

**Thanks again for reading, and please don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Kindhearted and Dutiful

_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._

* * *

Since their little discussion the night before, Luke had spent most of the evening scouring the Holonet for information about his four prospective mothers. _Jedi Knights Potkin and Wezz don't seem to check out._ Luke realized as he read over their itineraries once more. _They hardly had anything to do with my father. Most of their assignments placed them on the other end of the galaxy. Masana at least worked with father._

Starting to get frustrated, mostly because that dark, male voice had snapped him out of sleep once again_ Give it up Luke...You know your heart sways to darkness._ It had told him in a deep voice, showing him images of all the moments his selfishness prevailed in the past.

"I'm not the same person." Luke reminded himself under his breath, "And the past can't be absolved." That mantra seemed to help limit the guilt he felt inside.

_No,_ the kind female voice told him,_ but the future can be. Our mistakes do not define us._

Sitting up straight, Luke eyed the features of Potkin, Wezz and Masana again. Either woman had features reminiscent of Leia, but it was relatively inconclusive between the three. Truthfully, Amidala seemed to be the best match if they were relying on his sister's appearance as a key criteria. _Of course, _Luke reminded himself as he sat back,_ Leia looks a lot like our grandmother, we could both just be all Skywalker._

Closing his eyes, Luke leaned back, took a deep breath and tried to get a little sleep before work. Apparently he wasn't allowed much, because Artoo nearly ran over his foot trying to rouse him. "I know, I know." He told the beeping little droid, "Time to go."

Pulling himself awkwardly to his feet, Luke used the Force to bring his cloak over from the small closet near his door. Dressed in a dark blue and black version of traditional Jedi wear, he pushed some of the crusties out of his eyes and headed for the lift. "Let's see what new, strange coincidences await us today, Artoo." The droid beeped in agreement to his statement, something Luke interpreted to be _strange indeed._

It seemed every day was a new adventure of peculiarities. Last week, Luke had been speaking with the senator of Pantoran, Lilo Chuchi, when suddenly new issues involving one of their protectorates became news. Prior to that, Luke had been dealing with, of all people, Pooja Naberrie when Naboo's loyalty to the Republic had been called into question. In both instances, Luke had been right where he was needed to diffuse the crisis... which really made him wonder about today.

He'd spent all morning researching both this Zion Tano and the candidates for his mother. Knowing his luck, he'd likely trip over something for either subject. _You are so attuned to the Force,_ the female voice in his head boasted,her accent growing heavier as she spoke proudly, _that you unconsciously align yourself with its will. You are guided by it with every breath you take and every word you speak._

Luke sighed and hoped that she was right. Most days he felt like he was walking through a misty field, following a small string in the hopes of finding answers.

As Luke approached his swoop bike, as his wrecked speeder was in the garage for now, he took out his magnetic key and surveyed the area. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up again, meaning he needed to pay attention.

What he saw was the last thing he wanted to see.

Seated happily on his swoop bike was the lean orange form of an eleven-year-old Togruta girl. She had a wide smile on her face as she played with the steering, turning it round and mocking gunshot sounds. Beside her stood an older Togruta, who had a face that screamed _you're embarrassing me._ Rolling his eyes and sighing all at once, Luke stepped forward to deal with the last thing he wanted to play with: kids.

"Minaka and Lucika Tano." He called to them as he approached, his voice booming despite the Coruscanti traffic, "What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Both girls turned to him simultaneously, looks of intense guilt and wonder on their faces.

"M-master Skywalker," Minaka, the older one, attempted to say, "We came to you... well... because-"

"-Because our brother disappeared and we can't find him!" Lucika near shouted with impatience. Luke sighed once more and stepped forward, his eyes warning Lucika to get off of his swoop bike before he had to tell her to.

She begrudgingly obeyed, with big, guilty blue eyes as she did, clamoring down to stand next to her hesitant sister. Standing side by side, both girls looked up at him hopefully, their eyes big and the markings on their foreheads that resembled brows raised high. Luke also couldn't help but notice that both girls had their hands on their own lightsabers. "Were those your mother's?" He asked as he sat down on the swoop bike. Both girls nodded, each one pulling the hilt of their blade free from their belts. Luke took each one, igniting first a long green blade that Minaka sported and then a slightly shorter yellow one belonging to Lucika. "I used to use my father's, before I lost it."

Passing back the deactivated weapons, both Tanos turned to each other a moment before adding, "Mother told us serving your father was one of the most rewarding moments of her life." Minaka told him respectfully, "And, if she were in trouble, she could always count on him to save her."

"Which is why we thought of you!" Lucika added in cheerfully, "Everybody knows you are a great hero and Jedi like your father. When Zion disappeared, we decided to save our allowances and come find you."

Luke stared at them with his brows raised, "So, I'm assuming your grandparents have no idea where you have gone." Both girls gulped at his question, turning to each other woefully before returning their tear-felt eyes back to him. Luke understood that look, "They're dead, aren't they?" Lucika nodded, her blue eyes ready to shed tears.

Minaka, however, sighed and explained, "The woman who took Zion away, she was this evil, old looking hag. When Zion fell fighting her, Grams and Gramps tried to get him back... and..." Luke didn't need an explanation. Whether Minaka was aware of it or not, her memories shown clearly through the Force. The carnage of the woman from the speeder sent chills down his spine as he watched her rip the elderly Togrutas to bits. It was any wonder the girls had the strength of will to continue hoping. "We thought, since we had no home left on Shilli, that maybe we could-"

"-Become your Padawans!" Lucika suddenly cheered, eager as she could be, "Just like our mother was your father's Padawan!" Luke gulped in hearing that one. He was still working with the other Jedi remnants to rebuild the Order, and Leia technically was his official Padawan.

But Luke made one vital mistake... he stared into the hopeful eyes of the young girls a bit too long and his heart softened. Slowly, his gentler side appeared before them as his features relaxed and a small smile grew on his face.

_She is far enough along to take on a young student..._he realized,_ Not that she'd want to._

_Not want to what?_ Leia's voice echoed in his head as she approached the hangar with Han and Threepio. She stopped and stared at the two girls standing before Luke, recognizing their profiles from the night before. "No way." She said aloud, figuring on what Luke had meant instantly, "Absolutely not." Han just glanced between the two and shrugged, stepping forward towards his silver speeder with Threepio behind him. He wasn't going to get involved in something between the twins this morning. _It's too damned early for this._

"Who's... PRINCESS LEIA!" Lucika suddenly shouted as she darted across the room towards the white clad princess, her arms outstretched as if she meant to hug the woman. "I've always wanted to meet you! You're so pretty!"

"Luci!" Minaka shouted as she ran after her overeager sister. Catching her by the shoulders, Minaka held the girl at bay, her peach face red with embarrassment. "My apologies, Minister Organa-er Solo. Luci tends to do without thinking." Leia merely chuckled and stepped forward.

"Minaka and Lucika Tano." She greeted, making both girls flush as their jaws dropped.

"How do you-" Minaka wondered incredulously, finally releasing her sister.

Leia turned towards Luke as she answered, "My brother was researching yours last night, and your names popped up on Zion's file... We fought him yesterday." Both girls sighed in hearing that.

"We suspected as much." Minaka admitted, stepping back to allow the approaching Luke to enter in the conversation. Han was happily listening with his eyes closed in his speeder, his feet hung over the door while Threepio fussed about being late. Artoo, having checked up on Luke's speeder, was now zipping across the room towards them, hitching a ride along since he could not sit as a passenger on Luke's swoop bike.

"Wait!" Luci suddenly declared, blue eyes as big as Mon Cala, "_You're_ brother and sister!?" Luke and Leia nodded, holding their fingers over their mouths to show they meant to keep this a secret. Excited at the prospect, Luci giggled behind her hands, dancing a bit at the information, before turning to her sister, "Now I get it. That's why she married Han Solo." Han snorted from the car after hearing that, his eyes still closed, while Luke and Leia chuckled.

"She must have heard about that incident on Hoth." Han chimed in, bringing the twins to roll their eyes. Minaka looked between the three of them curiously before dropping the subject. She had more important things to discuss.

"Since he's already attacked you," She wondered aloud, "What will you do to him now?"

Sighing, Luke turned to Leia a moment before answering. Her eyes showed the same uncertainty his likely donned and he was hoping the Tano girls could not see it. "We save him." Luke told them, "We give him reasons to let go of the dark side and bring him back into the light." Minaka and Luci's eyes both went wide, their jaws dropped and then they turned to each other with smiles.

"You can do that?!" Luci inquired with wonder. When the twins nodded, she began her now familiar giggle dance from before. "Did you hear that Mina! They can save him!"

"And we can all become Jedi!" Mina added with a wide grin, fighting her urge to join in the dance as well. She suddenly stopped her glee, becoming surprisingly stoic, before inserting, "Provided Master Skywalker says it's okay." Her face was bright red with flush.

Luke grinned and glanced at his sister. _I think you're ready to train someone._ He told her, _And Han clearly already likes Luci._ Leia sighed when she heard that, turning to Han with an imploring gaze. He smiled at her and shrugged.

"The little brat's okay by me." He told her without a second thought.

"She'd be with us for a few years, you know." She reminded him sternly. He still shrugged.

"But living at the Temple, so she'd be your problem." He pointed out with a mischievous grin, "You need her to save her brother anyway." Leia sighed, her gaze returning to Luke.

_Don't the other masters have to approve this or something?_

Luke shrugged, _Yes. We'll have to take the girls along to the Senate today, and then swing by the temple later to meet with them. I'll alert them to the situation before our arrival._ Sighing once again, Leia turned to the girls, who were staring at her hopefully._ It's not as though you'd get Luci right away. _Luke reminded her, _She still needs preliminary training at the temple._

_I've only been training for four years Luke,_ she reminded him,_ These girls probably know more about the Force than I do._ He rolled his eyes, sensing her anxiety as he moved towards his speeder.

"Minaka-"

"-P-please, call me Mina-" She inserted nervously.

"Mina." Luke corrected as he hopped onto his swoop bike, "You're with me. Luci... you're Leia's guest until the Jedi Council deems otherwise." The young girl jumped happily in the air before running to Leia to hug her. _These girls lost their mother ten years ago._ Luke told his sister gently, appealing to her understanding,_ If they learned anything, its from their brother, and it's likely rough._ Leia sighed and forced a smile for the young girl wrapped around her.

"Let's go little one." She suddenly relented, bringing the girl with her towards the speeder. Her husband then pulled his feet inside and told Artoo and Threepio to make room. As Luci clamored over the droids with a giggle, Leia seated herself inside the speeder with a slight, overwhelmed frown.

As Luke and Mina flew out of the landing dock, Han backed his speeder out to follow. They were all going to the same place, after all. Leia was the Minister of State, which normally garnered her interesting and important assignments. Han functioned as a liaison between the Galactic Army and the Senate, while Luke did the same for the Jedi. Despite working so close to one another, the three rarely met during the work day, as their respective positions pulled them all over the Senate hall.

Stopping at the signal over Midian Street and Eqanto Boulivard, 705th level, Han pulled up along Luke and Mina. What he spotted brought a grin to his face. Luke was reading something, waiting for the light to turn, as usual, while Mina had her arms around his waist and a big smile on her face below rosy red cheeks. "Seems you have a new fan." Han commented, breaking Luke's concentration enough for him to look over at him.

"I guess so." He replied, sensing Mina's nervousness and adoration, "That'll change soon though. Right Leia?" Leia grinned from her spot in the passenger seat, her white, Jedi-inspired politicians gear glowing in the sun.

"If the council approves this, she'll hate you by the end of the first week." She affirmed for him with a grin, "Darth Taskmaster." Luke chuckled, turning his eyes back to his reading while the light still remained red. It always did, and was one of the most impossible intersections on the 705th level.

"General Solo?" Luci called from her seat in the back, "How'd you meat Lieutenant Chewbacca?" She wanted to know, her eyes sparkling in adoration despite her apparent favorite being Leia. Han smirked to himself as he made to answer, but was unable to as Luci inquired, "-And how did you get the _Falcon_? Why does this speeder smell like wet fur? And who's droids are these? Are they yours? Where are we going?" Han, his mouth still open, turned to Leia, who sat with a grin.

"Quite the chatterbox, isn't she?" he smirked to his wife. She only nodded and allowed the girl to voice her thoughts as the light finally turned. Luke dashed off with Mina at his back, leaving Han to race to catch him in his load-bogged speeder.

* * *

Darth Pestilis was silent as she returned from the dense forest, her movements most selective as she clamored around the small village established by blockade prisoners after the Battle of Yavin IV. The village itself was rough, comprised of old ship parts and new metal slabs flown in after the Galactic Civil War. There was no dominant, sentient species on Yavin IV, as most of the prisoners of the imperial blockade were from across the galaxy. But many chose to remain on Yavin, believing the area too beautiful to abandon. While imprisoned in the area, Yavin had become something to aspire for. Many were kind-hearted individuals who would greet her on the paths that moved through the prairies and forests. And she would do her best to greet back, not wanting to stand out.

She was exhausted, as her master prepared her greatly for this venture into the past during the night, and she could barely move because of it. Feeling as though walking through a fog, Pestilis ignored her precious Anhilis and Devaro as she ambled inside her abode with aid of her cane.

"Master?" Anhilis inquired carefully, her voice lacking any indication of concern. Pestilis turned to the woman, seeing her lust and desire clearly now through the Force. _All thanks to my master,_ She grinned.

She'd found the young woman after a battle in the Galactic Civil War on Onderon, serving a man by the name of Lux Bonteri. He'd been a good leader, but was not afraid of sacrifice, and young Talima Nass was not particularly pleased that she'd been considered expendable.

It wasn't hard to twist the young Mirialan into submission. All she needed was assurance that, in the end, everything that had been promised to her by the Rebels on Onderon would be small change compared to what she'd gain with Pestilis. And her desires were most entertaining: she wanted to rule Onderon and all it's holdings, enslave Lux Bonteri and his generals, and execute thirteen specific rebel leaders herself. Her grudge against the Rebellion was that great.

But apparently not great enough. Master Demantis had gleefully informed her that Anhilis would be most hesitant to injure General Luke Skywalker. _But, don't consider her behaviors a result of compassion or admiration,_ he'd warned her,_ she finds the man attractive, and wants to break him of his strength so that he's completely subservient to her... the problem is a Skywalker cannot be broken, only corrupted._

It astounded her how informed Master Demantis was about the Skywalker legacy, listing off important individuals to that of Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader. It was he who'd informed her of this secret identity, him having fed off the man's hatred and self loathing for more than twenty years. But, in those twenty years, Vader had been careful to contain his resentment and guilt for his treacherous lover. Demantis could only confirm that she'd died by his hand, which meant...

"Skywalker's mother is likely a Jedi killed during the Purges, but not initially killed in them." She informed her subordinates, "We must start by researching all human candidates listed as having died _after_ 16.5.24. Preference should be given to ones who'd visited both Tatooine and Alderaan at some point in their careers, as they'd have to have established some sort of connection to the surrogate families of our targets..." she then turned her eyes to Devaro, who crossed his arms as he heard that. He hated research. "We need this information no later than tomorrow."

"Are we leaving tomorrow?" The young Togruta wanted to know.

Pestilis nodded, "For Coruscant... We will then need a day to set our trap."

Anhilis stepped forward, a sinister smile on her face, "A trap master?"

Smirking, Pestilis rolled her eyes at the girl, "Yes, we'll be capturing Skywalker... and no, you may not torture him." Anhilis chuckled at her master's apparent amusement, "He's pivotal to our own plot, ironically."

Devaro sighed as he sat back against the wall, "And while we are in the past, what exactly will our objectives be?" Pestilis smirked to herself, knowing exactly why he'd asked.

"Don't distract yourself with your petty quest for vengeance." She told the young man, "There will be time enough for you to execute your revenge, but your personal vendetta cannot interfere with eliminating Skywalker." Devaro growled, not liking his master's tone.

"And why is one man so important?"

Pestilis turned to him, her yellow eyes warning him to question her again. The man instantly hung his head in respect, knowing he was tempting fate. "Because Skywalker has not even begun to tap his full potential." She informed them both sternly, "And if he does, all our efforts to strengthen and control the dark side will be in vain."

"So why don't we just turn him?" Anhilis demanded, her lips curled into a frown and her arms crossed over her chest like a child. She often sported such childish appearances. It didn't matter that she apparently wore black to 'mature' her look.

Pestilis shrugged and sat herself down on the warn sofa to rest her aching bones. "He cannot be turned. Too much anchors him to the light; his father's so-called mistakes, his sister... this ghost that has attached herself to him. His very soul exudes such a brightness that my guide cannot near him while he is conscious." Both Anhilis and Devaro glanced to one another, neither believing wholeheartedly in this guide their master praised.

"So..." Anhilis smirked as she thought of something devious, "Turn him as a child. Turn him before he knows of his father and separate him from his sister. This 'ghost' alone cannot save him."

Again Pestilis sighed, sitting back against the cushions to remember exactly why Demantis had insisted that plan would fail, "He's deeply connected to his twin. So much so that when she was a stranger, he still dashed directly into danger to rescue her. No amount of distance can break that bond... And neither twin can be turned without turning the other simultaneously. That feat alone is near impossible. The light side of the Force was very clever in its decision to allow Skywalker two children at once. In doing so, it assured itself an incorruptible champion."

"You speak as though they can't be turned together." Anhilis sneered, stepping towards her master heatedly.

"That would require them being willing to do harm to one another." Her master reminded her with raised, white brows, "And the tragedy of their past leaves them most concerned in protecting their twin from repeated incidents." Silent as she searched for another argument to save her prey, Anhilis clicked her tongue in thought. "Many have tried to turn him, his own father included... that option is out of the question now."

With a sigh, Devaro stepped out of the room. He knew better than to continue to question his master, though Anhilis would likely test her until the woman near strangled her to death. He satisfied himself with one fact; the sooner the work was done, the sooner he could exact his own revenge.

* * *

In the days of the fall of the Republic, many figures busied themselves with the ever growing, cataclysmic Clone Wars. The wars, fought on multiple fronts at all times, had dragged most of the galaxy into a state of panic and pain. Whole planets fought to conserve their resources enough by mandating planned power-outages and raising already unbearable taxes. It was these reasons that made the transition into dictatorship nearly three years later so readily accepted by all.

For at the time the people of the many worlds could not see that their own greed and desperation were being sown into more dangerous seeds of submission and misery.

And the puppeteer constructing this scene and moving all the pieces remained completely anonymous, despite his own apprentices pitiful attempts to usurp him through the Jedi.

Still, in recognizing that so long as Darth Sidious remained at large, he had no choice but to do his bidding, one aged Count Dooku continued to act on the monster's plans. Their current efforts involved a conspiracy in the Banking Clans, one which would give the Chancellor complete control of the banks for when he finally assumed totalitarian rule over the galaxy. And, considering that their plans involved the manipulation of a certain, self-important, former-senator from Scipio, Dooku was all too happy to carry out this plan.

The man had proven to be too arrogant for his tastes.

At the same time, Chancellor Palpatine was doing his damndest to push a bill in the senate to extend his term in office. And the Clone Wars had provided the perfect excuse for that. That and the many Jedi generals that provided astounding victories at just the right moment to impress the senate.

All he needed was support from his many compatriots, and, to his good fortune, nearly every political figure was in his pocket in some way. Some loved him simply because his efforts resulted in their gaining finances, and so they were addicted to him because of their greed. Others preferred him because his emergency powers had saved their home world, thanks to his immediate action. And the last group, they adored his 'sense of duty' in putting the needs of the people first. People like Padme Amidala, who'd also been pulled into this Banking Scheme because of her gullibility and prior relationship with former-senator Rush Clovis.

She wasn't a very tall woman, nor one that looked especially tough, but she commanded a presence that made all who knew her positively respectful. Even those who hated her guts. But she wasn't all gumption, part of her had a soft side, a loving side. One that she hid from the world along with her beloved husband. A man even her handmaiden Teckla would not suspect.

"Anything more I can do for you, milady?" The young, respectful woman inquired with glowing brown eyes wide. Padme shook her head, turning sad, sandy colored eyes on the HoloProjector to catch the news once more. The young human female who spoke on the news did so earnestly, her face pained as she explained current events on the front.

"Then I shall go home, milady." Teckla informed her with a bow, raising a small glass lantern, "Thank you again for the lamp... these power outages have devastated our sector many nights." Padme smiled and waved her off. It was the least she could do considering her investments and job provided for her quite well. People like Teckla worked hard for her, believed in her even, and their commitment deserved some sort of payoff. Even if it was only a little one.

"Anytime." She told the young woman with a gentle voice, "A person as good as you deserves light in the dark." And, suddenly, she started coughing again, the same painful cough that made bronchitis look like the common cold. Ever since being infected with the virus nearly 8 months ago, Padme would succumb to these fits. The original cure had not been perfect, and several of those treated faced these adverse effects of their body fighting the virus off.

Her handmaiden neared her, but Padme pushed her away, not wanting her to even risk coming closer. Teckla, being the dutiful young woman she was, fought back, but her efforts were in vain. The fit ended as swiftly as it began. "I'm fine." Padme assured the caring young woman, pulling her curly locks out of her face, "You should go home now, while the lights are still on in your district." Again Teckla smiled at her and nodded, wishing her a good night before she left the house. Padme smiled after her, her curly brown hair falling into her face as she turned down to read some more.

It only took her a few hours to complete the work, tragedy on the front booming in the background. She hated watching the HoloNews every night, but it had become an obsession of hers. Even now as she coughed and hacked in her recovery from the deadly Blue Shadow Virus, she fought to stay awake and continue to watch. Reports to the senate were becoming fewer and vaguer, making her life twist into a living hell. Of course, very few of the senate actually had loved ones fighting in the war and so Padme found herself amongst a small minority in actually desiring the horrific details. Who died and where? Where are the big battles at?

To prevent herself from completely going insane, she watched those twisted and disdainful stories about the war. Twisted in as much as the fact that they painted the Separatists as absolute monsters; something she knew not to be true. Disdainful because through them she might never be able to fully settle down. The hero worship was starting to get to her.

As she sat on the sofa, she attempted to read through various reports about the bank loans Palpatine wanted her to investigate. Her recovery term was about to expire and he wanted someone he trusted back on Scipio. Between these reports and the pleas from her friend Satine of Mandalore to come out for a visit, she was overwhelmed with work and her 'social' life. She believed that by putting her mind to rest, she could at least focus on one task.

"... we find significant triumph in the Outer Rim Sieges." The Twil'ek news woman that had replaced the human one an hour ago began to elaborate. Her voice was stern and yet sweet. That was likely the reason she'd been selected for the position, along with her calming blue color. "Jedi Generals Kenobi and Skywalker have once again worked a miracle, sending Separatist forces back from the system of..." from there she tuned out everything. She'd heard what she needed to hear: Anakin was alive and well.

_Thank the stars._ She commented internally, setting down the datapad.

Part of her was hoping that these last few victories would allow Anakin to return to Coruscant for meditative leave. The other part knew better, that his next visit would likely be in another month. Not with him still spelling victory on the battlefield with his blazing blue lightsaber. _And knowing that goof,_ Padme realized with a smile,_ he probably is._ She sat content in picturing that, seeing the ear-to-ear smile of her 'Jedi Knight with a Shining Lightsaber' as he tried to show off his incredible speeds by writing things in the air. She could just envision that glint of amusement in his ocean blue eyes as he found something to be proud of or smug about.

Till he came home to find out she was on yet another diplomatic mission.

Padme sighed at that thought. Part of her was afraid he'd be angry with her, what with her taking on this responsibility with the banks. He was never a fan of her excursions, and the fact that she was still sick would have infuriated him.

To her, it was a good thing that she was alone at the moment. Anakin's possessiveness, while charming, was starting to grate on her. Especially when he started acting reckless to counteract her own projects.

As if on cue, her contact regarding her arrival on Scipio sent her a request for a HoloChat. She tapped her finger on the air key to accept and was soon facing the Muun representative for the banks. But, just as she was about to greet the gentleman, he tapped the side of his face.

Instantly, the large features of the Muun male representative melted away, revealing the tattooed face and striking features of Rush Clovis, an enemy of state. "Hello, Padme." His rugged voice greeted her with a wry smile, "It's been some time..."

* * *

**Author's Note/Commentary: ****Well, we're getting closer to the actual starting point. I realize that introducing Padme so late might be a bit strange, but time hopping in a story is so confusing that I wanted to establish the 'now' before creating the past. Luke and Leia cannot simply land on a blank canvas. ****You probably will notice that the official timeline doesn't apply in this story (which is an AU). I've done my best to stay as true to that timeline as possible, but to get the character development and plot points I want, I do have to change their 'history' a little bit. For instance, it may seem silly to have Padme still be in recovery, but I promise that there is little I do in writing that doesn't serve a purpose later in a story. I just hope that it comes out well and that you all enjoy the way I put all these components together.**

**Demantis, Pestilis, Anhilis, Devaro/Zion Tano, Mina and Luci Tano are all my inventions.**

**I also wanted to thank those of you who reviewed, followed, or favorited my story. Your responses are so encouraging and motivating that I can't wait to post more and see your reactions. That is primarily the reason I worked so hard on creating an appropriate cover. I hope you all like it!**

**Please don't forget to review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Powerplay

_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._

* * *

Luke had to admit, it was nice having a shadow. He'd felt guilty at first, dragging Mina to the Senate, but he couldn't think of what to do with her until after work. And work, sadly, came first.

While working inside the gray building, Luke settled for asking Mina to get him and other officials coffee when they needed to discuss matters of state. It bothered him to have her work rather than be bored, but after a while, he saw how happy this arrangement had made her. When he wasn't talking with senators and military officials, he'd chat with Mina to get to know her better.

She would smile at each question, each one more probing than the next, and answer as truthful as possible. It was clear that, despite the betrayal in her past, she was eager to treat life openly and without malice. _Perfect traits for a Jedi_.

"So," Luke pried once more as they meandered down the hall from the Chief of State's office. He needed to have a word with Mon Mothma about her sending the Jedi out with so little support. "Your file indicated that you have no mother and father... I know you were raised by your mother, but I was wondering-"

"-About my father?" Mina finished for him, turning her brown eyes to him in sadness. With a slight smile, she elaborated, "The last time I saw my father was about a week before mother was killed. His job kept him away from us, but he'd visit us every chance he got... He loved us, but after mom died, he knew he had to stay away to keep us safe..." Then, after taking a deep breath, she added, "He'd explained that to Zion before he left." Luke frowned in hearing that.

"Is he still alive now?"

Mina turned to him with fresh tears brewing in her eyes. "I... I don't know... I'm not sure how to find him if he is." Luke sighed as he watched the girl struggle to control her emotions. Tentatively, he rested a hand on her shoulder, his act of 'brotherly' support. "Part of me believes he is not, though." She paused after saying that, "Is that the Force?" He carefully regarded her question, reaching into the Force to feel her own presence pull at it and nodded.

"Generally, when you're certain and can't explain why," he told the young Togruta, his eyes now looking ahead towards the garage, "It is the Force."

Mina smiled, a small tear falling down her face as they rounded the last corner to the checkpoint, "My father really loved my mother." She added, turning to Luke with a big grin, "Every time he came home, the first thing he would do is pick her up and spin her around in the air, like a princess. She never stopped blushing about it, insisting that she wasn't some damsel. Father always told her that even a dangerous Jedi warrior like herself needed to be treated like a lady once in a while.

Luke chuckled, seeing that the memory pleased his charge so much. "We were his princesses too, me and Luci. And Zion was his tough warrior. Mom always hated how he'd followed traditional gender stereotypes with us, but he always said that when we didn't want to be princesses anymore, we could be tough warriors too." Luke smiled in hearing that, glad to know that Ahsoka Tano at least knew happiness before she died.

"He'd usually bring a new HoloVid for us to watch. There wasn't all that much in our town on Shilli." Mina added in with a far off glance, "We'd spend his first night home watching it as a family. Mom would grab Luci and curl up against dad while Zion and I shared his other side. He usually found comedies for us, and we'd laugh and laugh... until dad fell asleep from exhaustion and started snoring. Then we'd laugh some more." He chuckled, seeing her memories clearly, though her father's face was a bit blurred in the memory, as though he was fading away. Mina turned and asked him, "What was it like with your mom and dad?"

Caught off guard and nearing the security by the garage, Luke wasn't quite sure how to answer that one quickly. He knew he needed to bond with the girl, to give her a sense of stability since she'd lost so much over the past decade, but how perplexed him. "Well... I only knew my father for a year, and he was... all right, I guess... in some bizarre fashion. I never knew my mother." Mina's eyes widened in hearing that, showing her pity. "I was actually raised by my aunt and uncle. They were very good to me, taught me to be responsible and respectful, and loved me like their own."

Mina sighed, "Are they still alive?" When Luke shook his head, she added, "I'm sorry to hear that... you've... you've lost a lot too." This time he nodded with sorrow in his blue eyes. Guilt even.

Now reaching his destination, Luke forced a grin on his face, confusing Mina slightly at first.

"Master Skywalker." One of the armed guards greeted, "And?"

"Padawan Tano." Luke decided to answer for them, bringing a sparkle to Mina's eyes, "Or soon to be one, anyways."

"Well, that's ironic." Luke chuckled at the guard's retort, "Sometimes I wonder if your father was just cloned or something, you two can be so alike at times."

"Againas," Luke replied with certainty, "If I am a clone, I'm certainly a poor imitation."

Againas chortled, "True... you are _way_ too short."

Rolling his eyes as he raised his arms for the typical scan, Luke added, "Something Leia loves to remind me of all the time." He stopped and eyed the older man, who, under his helmet, was nothing more than a scraggly old man with a large bald patch on the top of his white head. His eyes, already almond shaped, seemed to squint shut as he aged more, likely because he was losing his eye sight and refused to do anything about it. "Are we still meeting for Sabbac with Han and Lando this weekend?" He asked the captain with a grin.

"Only if you're up for losing again, mister Jedi-Master." Againas chuckled at him. His partner smirked all-knowingly beneath his helmet. Luke shook his head and entered the garage. As Mina made to follow him, Againas greeted her, "Good to meet you, Miss Tano. I worked with your mother on occasion during the Clone Wars. She was a fine commander." Mina smiled at him.

"Are you a clone?" She inquired carefully. Againas shook his head.

"Though we have some clones in our armies," he explained to her, "Most are bound by their programming to follow Thrawn in his campaign." She sighed and shook her head.

"That's unfortunate." She told the man, "I've met clones before... many seem to wish their programming away. Some can even fight it."

"And they come to us when they do." Againas assured her before she followed her hopeful master to his swoop bike. It was time to go to the Jedi Temple.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate..." Chair of the Senate, Mas Amedda, began, jostling Padme out of her musings, "It is time to convene. The matters of this convention include the following, which will be addressed in the order listed now; the rights of outer-rim freighters bill, the..." and as the blue Chagrian drudged onward, Padme glossed through the synopsis of the days events. This was to be a very long and boring meeting. But there was a rumor about a single bill that had her attention and she was hell bent on preventing its passing.

Were it not for this particular bill, Padme would have stayed home and sent Jar-Jar to handle the votes. But after his condoning the sanctions for the Clone Army, she'd learned to politely refuse his aid in matters she was truly passionate about. Blue Shadow Virus or not.

_Bill addressing another Senatoral Pay-Raise,_ Padme noticed with disdain. As it was, her severance package after her term was more than enough. Why these idiots constantly demanded more money was beyond her. Her children would have good lives and could attend whatever university they wanted with her current holdings, Anakin working or not. There was no need to take more money away from the taxpayers for this category than already was garnished. _Especially during a full scale war!_

But her internal rant was stopped when she found the bill she was looking for: _Bill instituting an Extension on Chancellorship in the Event of an Unending Crisis. _She seethed as she read that, _So he's at it again... at this rate a whole generation will grow thinking him some kind of monarch!_ And that idea did not sit well with her and she found herself sitting back in her chair while taking deep breaths.

Speaking of the devil himself, the tired looking man merely moseyed up to the podium in the center of the building. Despite how ragged his office could make him, not a single white hair was out of place on Chancellor Palpatine and he seemed to be drawing energy from some well guarded reservoir. How he always seemed so sure and tranquil, and yet so fierce was something Padme could not fathom. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I ask you to hear me out. This proposed bill to expand on licensing and trade route specifications in the Out Rim is a travesty against our interplanetary freedoms. I strongly discourage, despite how beneficial these regulations might appear, restricting the freedoms of freighters to work their contracted jobs in the way that seems best to them."

"Thank you Chancellor Palpatine." Mas nodded to his good friend with a smile, "Having heard that, we now ask those in favor of the bill to begin their explanations. Senator..." and again Padme tuned out. She already knew which direction she would vote. It was very obvious to her. What bothered her was it was apparently obvious to Palpatine. His statement made him seem a protector of liberties and democracy. If only she could be sure that were his true intentions.

Hours seemed to drag by, with Padme growing more and more tired by the minute. She'd been up the whole night struggling to breathe and the morning met her before she was ready to greet it.

Just as Padme was nodding off, Palpatine took the stage to defend his bill. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate..." he began in his typical fashion, "I cannot express to you how much it pains me to accept Senator Guisin's proposition that I remain in office until the conclusion of the Clone Wars. Personally, I would rather be far from this consideration, but my need to defend the liberties of this galaxy outweigh my personal wants. This burden is mine and it should be mine alone to bear. I humbly ask you all to carefully deliberate your vote on this appeal, as one of you might be forced to endure my burdens should it not pass." To that Padme frowned. He seemed so solemn and humble in that moment, but on the screen, she saw something in his eye that told her otherwise.

"What are you up to?" she wondered aloud as she stared intently at Palpatine's image on the HoloDisplay. Typho, her chief of security, stared at her incredulously while she contemplated this question, "Is that the face of a man we can trust?"

When the vote was cast, she pressed the button her heart told her to select. And with that, the weight of the galaxy seemed to fill her shoulders.

* * *

Though Leia was relieved that the day's end was drawing near, she was fairly certain that someone else was even more enthused. Having tailed her 'Pretty Princess Jedi Master' dutifully all day, the eleven-year-old Togruta seemed apt to retire sooner rather than later. By noon, her blue eyes fell behind droopy lids, and yawns came from her every five minutes. _It's tough going to work after traveling,_ she realized, wondering why it hadn't occurred to her earlier to send the girls to the Temple to rest. "Luci." She called to the girl, who snapped awake at her side. The wise Mon Mothma turned to them both with interest, "It's about time we go to the Jedi Temple. Could you fetch my bag from my office?" The girl smiled and dashed off without another word.

Mon chuckled beside Leia, her red and silver hair gleaming in the sunlight. "You seem to have taken a liking to that girl." She pointed out gently. Leia shrugged.

"I worry for her." She admitted, her eyes downcast, "Luke seems to think I should train her."

To that, Mon frowned, "I doubt you'll have the time for that."

"You should tell him that." Leia pointed out as they walked towards Leia's office to meet the youngest Tano midway.

Mon frowned, "He's your brother; you should be able to talk to him on your own." Leia frowned once more and shook her head, turning her worried brown eyes to Mon. Mon was one of her oldest friends, having been particularly close to her adoptive father, Bail Organa. Even her adoptive mother Breha always had kind things to say about her.

"Luke's idealism often blinds him to reality." She informed Mon, "It's one of his greatest charms and greatest faults. And it pains me ever so much to tell him off." Mon nodded, understanding. She had a mysterious way about her, making a person feel heard, even as she deliberated the next step of the conversation. That was why she was such an effective Chief of State. In the rebellion, she was the queen while Leia was the princess, and more men swore fealty to her than they did anyone else.

"I'm sure it hurts him more when you hide things from him." Mon suggested, nodding to a passing senator as she did. "He trusts you above all others Leia, it would not be fair to him to hide your own trust... He needs that trust. Though he feigns otherwise, my own observers have noted that many on the Jedi High Council are starting to push him out, feeling his approaches too novel and his ideals too gray." Leia shrugged, glancing out the window in the direction she knew her brother was in.

"He's never said anything to me." She admitted as Tano's footfalls sounded her return.

Mon smiled, "I doubt he would. He's as prideful as his father."

Both women watched as Luci Tano approached them in a tired trot, Leia's bag in her arms. The young girl panted as she caught her breath, realizing a little too late that she'd overdone it again. "I have your bag here master!" she cheerfully presented the leather satchel to Leia. The woman took the item gladly and thanked the Youngling.

"Perhaps," Leia noted, "It is time to go to the Jedi temple. I'm sure they are anxious to meet you." Luci smiled wide, but surprised Leia when she turned to Mon.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Chief of State Mothma." She told the woman with a slight bow and all the formality of a trained politician, "I look forward to serving you."

Taken aback, Mon took a moment to reply, "As do I, Padawan Tano." She nodded back to the girl with a gentle smile, "I wish you the best of luck at the Temple." Luci grinned childishly, but managed to contain her glee. It appeared Mon commanded respect even from the most energetic Younglings.

"I'm ready when you are master!" Luci reported with a big grin.

Smiling Leia nodded her goodbye to Mon and strode off with Luci at her heels. "We need to find Han first. Not all of us will fit on Luke's swoop bike." Skipping alongside her 'master,' Luci continued to smile sunshine at all who passed her.

"Can I ask a question?" Luci wanted to know, her blue eyes big and curious.

Leia sighed, "I suppose."

"Why aren't you Leia Skywalker?" She inquired quickly, not caring that there were a million and one different people around her. _Secret doesn't mean much to this one,_ Leia noted with a sigh. "I mean... you and Master Skywalker are brother and sister right? And your father was Anakin Skywalker... so..." She paused as they hopped on an escalator towards the garages, where Han was likely headed. He never missed a chance to ditch these small chats with various politicians.

"So why don't I use my father's name?" Leia offered to finish for her. Luci nodded and stared at her intently, expecting an answer. Leia shrugged and forced her indifference to show, "Because I was raised by a different family, and I want to honor them." Luci's eyes went wide.

"But what about your father?" She wanted to know. Her honesty was on her sleeve all the time.

Turning back to the girl, Leia told her with a stern voice. "I don't like my father."

Clearly Luci wasn't expecting that. As they left the escalator and meandered towards the western hangers, she gathered her thoughts and questions. "Why?" was the first of them.

"Because the stories were wrong." Leia told her easily, "He wasn't a very good man... he was a very bad one, actually... and... well, I can't stand being related to him." It was very apparent that Luci was struggling to swallow that information.

As they entered the garage, she suddenly added in her own take on the topic, "I know my daddy did a lot of bad things to save people..." she started timidly, "But, even though some people might call him a bad man, an evil man even... I still love him." Leia paused when she heard that plea, feeling the girl's certainty and caring more than she'd ever felt from anyone before. She didn't know what to say.

"And my daddy left us alone." Luci added, her voice filled with sorrow, "To keep us safe from... he didn't want anyone to know about us. He was afraid Darth Vader would kill us, so he never came back." The girl paused, noticing that Leia's back was still turned to her, "But he loved us more than anything... and I think he died because he hid us... I think he got found out."

Leia turned back to her, about to gently explain to the girl that life is a very difficult journey, when Han ran up, Threepio and Artoo at his side. "Do we have time to grab a bite to eat before the Jedi Circus gets started?" He inquired, bringing a smile to both Leia's and Luci's lips.

"I suppose so..." Leia informed him with a grin and eye roll.

* * *

It hadn't taken more than eight hours to make the jump from their hideaway to Coruscant. It had taken far less time to breach security. The fools that had been running the traffic surveillance team were old friends of Anhilis, if friends were what you wanted to call them.

As their small speeder floated carefully down the lane, the three Sith lords set their eyes on the temporary Jedi Temple off in the distance. They didn't want attention, and yet for some reason Pestilis was certain they'd already been found. _Skywalker._ She hissed internally as Devaro landed the car in the catacombs of the decrepit memorial. She knew plans to restore the building were soon to break ground.

The three of them disembarked slowly, trying to seem like curious, lost tourists to air control. That and a mind-trick helped them enter the building undetected. As they faded into the shadows of what was once a proud institution, Anhilis instinctively cowarded behind Devaro. In watching her, Pestilis scoffed.

Anhilis could easily be the coward when she wanted to be, which was why Devaro was so necessary as an apprentice. It was for this reason that Pestilis defied the rule of two.

When they'd entered the old archives, stripped bare by the New Order Jedi, Devaro and Anhilis halted. "What now, my master?" Devaro inquired, his voice booming with fresh hate for the place. And, with the way it looked, who couldn't hate it.

The shelves were bare and worn. The walls were caved in or covered in scorch marks from blaster fire. All around, the temple had a feeling of decay. Of sadness. And Pestilis delighted in this.

Once upon a time, she worked in this accursed abode, an analyst in the Jedi archives. Unappreciated, it was not hard to heed the call of Lord Demantis, his voice but a whisper on the wind. Now his voice was a part of her, and she reveled in the darkness that this bond exuded. How anyone could resist his power was beyond her. Yet, somehow, Skywalker did it.

Pestilis rolled her eyes as she stepped forward towards the old, half burned desk, "There should still be some hiding places from when I was young." Indeed, she knew several secrets about this place that had been long since forgotten.

Behind the desk, she found a small tile with a rubbed out inscription and stepped on it with the very back of her heel. Instantly, a HoloPannel appeared above the tile with a small combination lock in its center. Pestilis smirked devilishly as she turned the dial one panel at a time until a single word was spelled from it's letters: Gamragist. After that, one of the book cases shifted and fell to the ground with a resounding bang, revealing a small opening beneath it.

"Stupid idiots!" Pestilis barked as she rounded back to the other side of the desk. "Putting a shelving unit over a hidden passageway. Louts!" She didn't pause as she ambled down the steps, her walking stick clicking with each movement. It wasn't long until she was out of sight. "Come on you two, don't keep an old witch waiting!" She called to her incompetent apprentices shortly after.

Devaro and Anhalis glanced at one another a moment before swallowing their fears and following after their peculiar master.

The stairs weren't very steep, but they were narrow. Pestilis had forgotten just how irritating this passageway was. Of course, it had been nearly sixty-five or so years since her last visit to the place. To hide the Gamragist of all things. The irony struck her as rather odd.

Yet aside from the dust and ash from the fires above, and the smell of mildew and mold out of disuse, the place was about what she was expecting. Old Sith-War era scrolls and legends decorated the walls, making the place seem more like a tomb than an old storage closet. Yellow and green and orange caked the walls as the paint started to age and bubble, but it was still the same. The occasional statue of an ancient master passed her by as she neared the bookshelves in a small alcove. The precious, stolen HoloChronicles themselves were intact, written on a special DataPad that could endure just about any weather, but they weren't what she sought. What she was looking for resembled an ancient pendulum clock from the early days of space travel. Of course, it certainly wasn't that.

Laden in golden colored platinum and comprised of the dark wood of rare Isdrid trees from Mandalore, this sacred artifact was one of the inventions of the ancient Sith. Knowing full well how dangerous the Gamragist was, Pestilis carefully lifted the item off the shelf.

"What is that master?" came Anhilis's cautious voice as she entered the room, her small lantern making the shadows of the room crawl around in agony.

Pestilis merely shrugged, "This is the Gamragist. The 'Third Ghost.'" She set it down carefully on a nearby table, looking it over for any sign of damage.

"And what does a Gamragist do?" Devaro asked with his arms crossed, his Sith yellow eyes glowing with impatience. Pestilis sighed.

"Not a Gamragist... The Gamragist." She elucidated, "The single greatest invention of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, of whom I am a devoted historian. I'd hidden it here years ago for safe keeping." Devaro merely shrugged and turned his eyes away while Anhilis took a step closer to observe the item.

"How does it work?" she wondered aloud, her large brown eyes glowing with curiosity.

Pestilis sighed, and took a step around the item. " The texts on its use were lost long ago. But according to Lord Demantis, we select a number of years we want to go back and pull this pendulum out." She held the orb-shaped clock up and pulled a small, crescent shaped pendulum free. "To go backwards, we swing the pendulum so that the rounded edge of the pendulum moves forward first. Forwards is the pointed edge. Then we count the swings until we reach our destination." Devaro stepped closer to regard the small clock, astounded that something so simple could accomplish such a task.

"Then why don't you swing it now?" he inquired, "And we can go directly to the past and kill Skywalker in his mother's womb." The sinister tone in which he put his thoughts brought a smile to Pestilis's face.

"If only it were that simple." She explained, setting the pendulum back where it belongs. She then moved back into the shadows to where two other orbs sat on the shelf. She stared at them thoughtfully before using her Force-enhanced strength to punch four holes in the wall. She then picked two bricks from the other side of the room to hide the additional orbs behind, placing them back carefully. Satisfied with her decoys and actual hiding places, she returned to her now impatient apprentices with a smirk.

"The amount of energy the Gamragist requires could knock us all out for months, meaning we'd risk missing our target: thirty years in the past. That would simply not do. And that is IF we survive the power drain." She stood taller as she said this, projecting an air of propriety. "Therefore, we need an alternative power supply." It hardly took a moment for the two apprentices to catch on.

"Skywalker?" Devaro inquired with a toothy smirk, "You plan to use Skywalker's enormous power to send us into the past to kill him?"

Despite her desire that the man lived, Anhilis chirped in beside the much taller Togruta, "How poetic, my master." Then she turned her eyes towards the other end of the temple, towards the temporary residence of the Jedi, "And Organa too, I'm sure. I'll rather enjoy this." Pestilis nodded, glancing down at the Gamragist with satisfaction in her green eyes.

"Yes, there is a chance that Skywalker's power will only be enough for the trip back..." she thought to herself, "therefore Mrs. Solo will also be joining us.

_It's only a matter of time now. _She thought to herself with a wicked grin.

* * *

Mina could not help but stare as the temporary Jedi Temple came into view. It was a large manor, built with the same dark steel the now demolished Imperial Palace had once donned, but she knew better. With its central black spire, and domed surroundings, this building was all too familiar to the girl. This was the Palace of Darth Vader.

It astounded her that the building still stood, especially after the chaos that was the fall of the empire. Once word reached the capital that Emperor Palpatine had fallen on Deathstar II, the citizens of Coruscant were so thrilled and relieved that riots broke out in the streets. It had been a bad situation, the news of which reached distant planets like Shilli. Mina remembered the HoloNews report as she sat beside Zion, shuddering. The entire palace had been sacked, stripped and burned to the ground. The same had occurred with Prince Xizor's palace, as his own criminal deeds disturbed the galaxy nearly as much as Palpatine's.

Only Darth Vader's remained standing, a testament to how, despite his dark deeds and antisocial behavior, he had been respected for his twisted code of honor.

"Master?" she inquired as Luke took a very quick dive down in traffic to find the garage's level. It took him a while to respond, his mind focused on dealing with his Jedi associates. "Why is the Jedi Temple inside this place?" She had to admit, the building was ominous, but not nearly as scary as she once thought because of the new brown paint being added to the sides.

"Because Darth Vader was once a Jedi too." Luke pointed out to her, "And his home is large enough for us. There aren't many places of this scale on Coruscant available, and Vader's heir was quick to suggest this place." Mina's eyes went wider.

"Vader had an heir?" She wanted to know. Luke said nothing, but nodded.

As they approached the garage, Mina had another question that was troubling her, "Why doesn't anyone know you and the princess are siblings?" Luke shrugged and got off the bike.

"There are a lot of things most people don't know about my family."

Mina frowned and followed her soon to be master towards the garage's lift. "There seems to be a lot you don't know about your family. I wasn't aware you didn't know who your mother was." Again, Luke shrugged and entered the lift, unsure of what to say to this perceptive girl's statements, "That must be tough." Mina added, "Knowing only half of who you are."

Luke smiled, "Half really isn't the number..." he took a deep breath before admitting his other inner turmoil to someone for the first time in years, "I don't know much about my grandmother either, except that her name was Shmi Skywalker. How she'd come to Tatooine and where she'd lived before she was sold into slavery are also a bit of an enigma." Mina's false brows rose.

"What a shame." Luke shrugged as the lift opened to reveal one of the uppermost floors of the spire. They stepped out together and greeted Saba Sebatyne as they approached the High Council Chamber. She was a large, green Barabel with intimidating lizard eyes. Her jaw was lined with sharp teeth, but contrary to her appearance, she was a gentler soul. Until the fighting started, that is.

"Saba." Luke greeted, motioning to Mina, "I'd like to introduce you to Minaka Tano, the daughter of Ahsoka Tano."

Saba smiled in her Barabel way and nodded to the small Togruta, she was about to speak if it hadn't been for the sudden arrival of another member of the Jedi Order. Their chief part-timer.

As Leia exited the turbo-lift with Luci, Han likely waiting somewhere near the cafe, the five of them entered the elaborate chamber which had once served as Vader's hyperbaric chamber.

Mina was surprised by how spartan the interior was. It was clear that Vader had held no style in high regard, save for simplicity. Though the Jedi had added their ancient reliefs, rescued from the temple ruins, and holograms, behind all the art and history shown plain black walls. And she had to wonder just who the man's son or daughter could be, that he would be raised in such a depressing atmosphere.

"Master Skywalker! Master Sebatyne! Good to see you." Came the voice of one Corran Horn, a human with a decent set of facial hair growing in by now. Luke nodded to him, walking over to take his seat inside the High Council Chamber. Though the council itself did not preside over the entire order, as in old days, it was the starting place for getting almost everything rolling amongst their ranks.

As the other members of the councils took their seats, Luke swallowed. Again, he was feeling that strange push from the other masters. His eyes darted this way and that, sensing their hesitation at his likely proposal. From one master to the next, from red eyes to brown ones, he felt that stifling rift that always overcame him inside this chamber.

He used to believe it was because of his father's presence here, but now knew better.

It hadn't taken long for him to understand that his ideals were unpopular with the order. Aspects he wanted to modernize they wanted to preserve, and vice versa. It was only a matter of time until they all ousted him, and he understood that. That was why his seclusion in his apartment was such a comfort, even though they technically resided in his home.

"So," Corran began the conversation with his usual grin and a one-liner, "It appears we have two new Tanos to consider." Luke stifled a chuckle as he heard that. But was soon to face a wake up call.

Standing beside his sister on the far side of the Council Chamber stood a strange, transparent woman. She glowed blue and smiled widely at him, her eyes sad and yet calm. Dressed as a peasant in dark blacks, she seemed the settler type.

_Luke,_ the dark-haired woman began with a smile, her brown eyes twinkling with joy as his blue ones met hers,_ I see that this position worries you. Fear not, for Advorosians do not lose easily._

"Grandmother?" Luke asked aloud, interrupting Mina's answer to one of the council's questions. The whole of the room turned to him in confusion, but none of their faces reflected the uncertainty of their esteemed Master Skywalker.

And Leia could only watch her brother and worry. For she'd felt what he'd seen, and understood that once again, her brother was being plagued by the afterlife. _Someone is guiding you again._

* * *

**Author's Note/Commentary: Well, I know this chapter bounced all over the place, but I hope it was clear and easy to follow. I'm basically putting all my ducks in a row right now so that the story flows nice down the road. I can't wait to go back in time in this story, simply because of how much easier it will be to track all my plot points (and we depart next chapter!).**

**Mina and Luci make me smile through all this chapter. I think they do a good job giving us an outsider's perspective on the main characters and the order... but will they become Luke and Leia's Padawans?**

**As I've said before, I'm trying very hard to stick to the expanded universe and clone wars series as a setting, despite that this original work is not intended to be considered a part of them. I just like to work with what is already there, as it makes creative writing more challenging. But one thing that I could not find is the origin of the Skywalker family. What is there is vague.**

**Therefore... I'm making one up for use in this story, as its central theme is family (AND lots and lots of drama!). I actually have a fanfiction I am working on that ties into this story. It focuses on what _this_ Shmi Skywalker went through on Advorosia before she arrived on Tatooine. _I put a small synopsis on my profile page if you are interested._ And don't forget to vote if you want to read it on my poll. If there is enough interest, I'll be more than happy to post it once we are far enough along in this story. I don't want to give any surprises away.**

**_In this chapter_, I invented Demantis, Pestilis, Anhilis, Devaro/Zion Tano, Mina Tano, Luci Tano, Againas and the Planet Advorosia.**


	6. Chapter 6: Struggle

**Author's Note: 1,000 VIEWS! As of today, this story made it to the 1,000 view mark. I'm so excited (and considering this is my first time posting online, I'm sure you all understand)! In celebration, I decided I wanted to give you all a big thank you for supporting Promise of the Past thus far; instead of just posting one chapter, I'm posting two tonight. And its the chapter we've all been waiting for too! **

**I hope you like it! And thank you again!**

**Also, be sure to check out the bottom Author's Note. I have a few updates there. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

Seated in his stately office, his chair spun about to watch the Corusanti-sunset, Palpatine marveled at all before him. Especially as he thought about how close he actually was to achieving his dreams. All that he needed was the results of today's votes to arrive and his day would have ended in absolute bliss.

And, as he considered this, the stout blue form of Oni Free Taa ambled into his office. He was a heavy Twil'ek colored in blue, and it was rare to catch him without his entourage. But, rather than the wide grin he'd been expecting upon his comrade in arms, Palpatine noted a solemness in his gait. "Oni Free Taa!" Palpatine greeted with his best welcome tone, "At last you have arrived! I trust you have the votes from today's session?" Oni attempted a smile, but merely shrugged as he passed Palpatine the datapad.

"It was a close call, Chancellor." He admitted with his voice quieter still, "One vote, one unexpected vote was what declined the bill."

Surprised, Palpatine ripped the datapad out of Oni's hands and scanned over it, reading the names quickly. He knew most of these names would vote against him, namely that Bail Organa and his patsy Mon Mothma, but there were several he could have sworn held their unwavering, conscience-free allegiance to him. Especially after his efforts to save their homeworlds during the war. And then, amongst this rabble, Palpatine spotted the one name that shocked him most.

Padme Amidala of the Naboo System.

_What the hell is her name doing here?_ He seethed as he read the name three times to make sure it wasn't Padme Trina of the Refrat System or Dina Amirala of the Raloot System. But no, no matter how many different ways he read that, his mentee had voted against him. Padme had chosen to push for democracy to resume. _But is that really such a surprise?_

"Why in the name of the gods did Amidala vote?" Palpatine demanded of Oni Free Taa, practically throwing the datapad into the twil'ek's face. "She's supposed to be on medical leave from that out break with the Blue Shadow Virus! Did she vote for anything else, or was it just my plans she came to stomp out?" Stunned and startled at the same time, Oni practically juggled the datapad in his hands as he scrambled to read Amidala's voting records for the day.

"Well..." he stuttered as he read through various posts, "She did vote on the freighter bill, against it... and the Senator's raise... also against it."

"She voted three times?" Palpatine barked, "That's it?" He growled as he snatched the datapad out from Oni's trembling hands. But sure enough, Oni was right. The stubborn senator only voted three times.

Seething in his rage, but trying to maintain what as left of his benevolent appearance for the day, Palpatine turned towards Oni and sighed, sighed and cleared his memories of all his outbursts. He could actually see the fear dissipate from Oni's face as he did his work. "Well, if it is what the people want..." Palpatine stated somberly, "I could really use the vacation anyway."

To that, Oni sighed and turned towards the door. "I doubt it is what the people really want Chancellor. I'm..." he stopped at the door and smiled at his friend, "I am sure the bill will reappear next session and it will end in your favor." Palpatine nodded to his 'friend' as the man left him to his musings.

That didn't last long though, as Palpatine was quick to don his cloak and proceed towards the most secure location in his office, the hidden chamber near the back. _If Amidala thinks she can oust me..._ he grumbled to himself,_ she's got another thing coming._

As he entered his HoloChamber, the secure one for Separatist conferences, he glanced down at the datapad he still clutched. After the note indicating which way she'd voted for his term extension bill, he found a small message. Usually Amidala filled her votes with her justifications, so that her people could read the grounds behind her decisions and respond to her, but this time, after her many notes she added a small dedication. In it she had only one small sentence.

_For Rush. _Palpatine read to himself before smiling_, why Mrs. Skywalker... you haven't been unfaithful to your dear husband now, have you?_

And a great thought dawned on him, a thought that would have Skywalker seething in his skin.

Somethings took more precedence to the Sith master, and, in his newly found calm, Palpatine could see that this temporary lapse in his plans was hardly a concern. He could easily remove Amidala from the next session, but he could not ignore this opportunity to further groom his next apprentice.

* * *

Luke sighed as he threw himself on his couch. The meeting hadn't gone well; Mina and Luci had been assigned to remain in the temple with Jedi who would be out in the field more. And it bothered him. It bothered him because he did not understand why Mina was not made his Padawan. The only thought that had occurred to him was that they feared he would be more like his father with her at his side. A ludicrous idea if there ever was one. _I knew I shouldn't have told them what happened to my father!_ He chastised himself, sighing and throwing his head back in frustration.

His musings left him unaware of the lean figure entering his apartment through the small window in his bedroom. With red hair glowing fierce in the Corisanti-sunset, Mara Jade approached him stealthily. It actually surprised her how off guard he was. Carefully, and silently, she leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek, near startling him before he turned to reciprocate on her lips.

"Everything all right?" she inquired while leaning on the back of his couch with her arms. He smirked at her a moment, drinking in the sight of her unnatural green eyes and lovely smile.

"Hardly." He admitted before opening his arms to welcome her on the couch. She lept over the back and landed lightly at his side, snuggling up to him as she listened to his heartbeat.

Their relationship was something small and new. It had taken them years of fighting one another to finally realize that there was more to their theatrics than they'd assumed. Mara could bring Luke back from the depths of the lonely life of a devout Jedi, while Luke's kind heart melted the ice Emperor Palpatine had placed there since her childhood. It wasn't until being cornered by mutual enemies that they realized there was a sense of belonging between them. And, shortly after, they began pursuing this idea that they should be together. Mara's job as a bounty hunter didn't interfere with this as much as Luke's Jedi connections.

"That so?" Mara inquired, growing frustrated with his dodging. Of all the people in the galaxy, only two of them seemed to know better than play his game. They were direct with him, and in many ways, exactly what he needed in that moment. They were his sister and his lover, though few knew he was in love with Mara Jade. Only his sister and brother-in-law seemed to figure that much out about them.

Turning to face her, Luke took a chance, "The damned council is out to get me and I'm feeling the pressure."

In hearing that, Mara rolled her eyes and started playing with his unruly blond hair. "Well..." she deliberated carefully, eying Luke as she did this, "They are idiots then. No one has more light in this galaxy than you do... you've even brought me a bit into the light side of the Force." Luke sighed and turned his blue eyes away, "But there's more of course." Mara prodded, "There always is with you, Skywalker." Luke chuckled and shrugged.

"Well, I keep seeing ghosts again," Luke gestured to his small dining area, where he'd last seen the apparition as she sat, rummaging through his home with her eyes. "And I am a little shocked by _who_ is visiting me..."

"As in?" Mara pressed, leaning forward with interest.

"As in I keep seeing my dead grandmother." He replied.

Mara whistled at that one as she sat back, "Wow, Skywalker..." she commented as she considered what he was saying, "That's a bit outside of my level of understanding, if what you say is true." Luke frowned a moment.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He quipped. Mara raised her hands in the defensive position, knowing better than to argue with Luke when he decided to be stubborn.

"I'm not saying that." she told him earnestly, "I'm just saying that it is a little unbelievable." He nodded, understanding what she meant.

He didn't realize that Mara was trying her best to do the same with the limited understanding she had of the Force.

To her Luke was always an enigma. He'd saved her from emptiness and helped her to gain new powers, something she didn't even believe was possible, and went so far as to bond with her. Their bond with one another was strong, strong enough to keep her from falling into uncertainty again, but that wasn't entirely what made her life complete at the moment. It was knowing she'd found someone who valued her for her, and not what she could do, that made her feel whole. And she tried to give that feeling back to Luke.

But as they lay there in comfortable silence, Luke's eyes spotted his ghastly visitor once more. "She's here again." He told Mara, who turned to follow his gaze in the direction of the bedroom.

"Grandma Skywalker?" She called out, making Luke laugh a little bit as the youthful form of Shmi Skywalker walked around the couch.

_Quite spiritedly, isn't she?_ Shmi told him as she sat down once more,_ I hadn't expected you to trust anyone with my presence, except maybe your sister. You must have something special._ Luke swallowed as he considered that, knowing Leia usually learned things from him first. He found himself wondering exactly how serious things had gotten with Mara that he'd told her about this before Leia.

But rather than answer his grandmother, he shrugged. Mara watched him, her eyes glancing about the apartment as she tried to understand what he was going through. "What is she saying?"

Luke swallowed, "She's commenting on our relationship." He added a smile to assure her it was good things, but he was made so awkward by his grandmother's observation that he didn't know what else to say. Mara frowned a bit because of his hesitation. Rather than pursue the issue further, Luke turned to his grandmother, "Why are you here?"

Shmi smiled a bit and sat back in her chair, _To protect your heart from an enemy most deadly._

Luke raised a brow, "An enemy?..." He waited for her to elaborate, but all she did was nod, "How so? I haven't noticed..."

_Yes you have._ Shmi informed him, _He's been bothering you in your dreams for months now. His name is Demantis, and he is determined to exterminate you. His minions are planning that much as we speak. _Luke sat up, shocked and not sure how to react to this news.

"M-minions?"

Shmi nodded once more, _Those dark warriors you fought from before. Did you not notice how unusually strong they were for Dark Jedi and Sith._ Luke shrugged, recalling that his mind was sort of knocked out at the time. Sighing, Shmi shook her head and sat back, _Demantis has numerous grudges against our family, but your untapped Force potential is perhaps the greatest._

"Untapped?" Luke pressed in surprise, Mara growing frustrated beside him.

"Can I at least get your half of the conversation, oh-great-and-powerful Skywalker?" She near demanded. Luke sighed and waved her off, far more concerned with what his grandmother was explaining.

_Luke,_ Shmi sighed as she stood up, _Your father was the most powerful Jedi of his era, but even he did not reach his full potential, not as a Sith either. What you are capable of is something the galaxy hasn't seen in generations, something spoken of in myth by our Advorosian ancestors. Something Demantis fears more than anything else._

"You mean, I'm Advorosian?" Luke inquired, "That means that you are from the planet..."

_Advorosia,_ Shmi told him with a smile, _It is a beautiful planet filled with many wonders. But I was forced to flee it because of Demantis... you cannot take this new challenge lightly, Luke, it could destroy you._

Luke sighed and nodded, "Will you be here to help me?" Shmi sighed and shook her head.

_I have always been there with you Luke, but this time you and your sister are on your own._ She admitted, _Both you and Leia saw what happens to a ghost that stands against Demantis._

With wide blue eyes and a jaw dropped, "You mean the woman that attacked me... that gave me that seizure... was you?" Shmi nodded.

_When Demantis began entering your dreams, I tried to stop him._ She then sighed and stood once more,_ His darkness was too much for me. And w__here you are about to go is an era filled with darkness, Luke. Where there is darkness, light often struggles to shine. You must listen to your instincts and your heart... and find Gerali of Advorosia... he can help you better than I._

Luke nodded, understanding, "Thank you, grandmother." Shmi nodded and smiled, her apparition fading away. _I love you Luke._ She called as she disappeared. _And tell your sister that I love her as well._

When Luke sat back and sighed, pondering this new information, Mara stared at him with her arms crossed. "Well..." she half-demanded, "What was that about?" Luke turned to her with slight amusement in his icy eyes.

"It was a warning." He told her, "About a guy named Demantis, and where I am from... Advorosia." Mara scrunched her lips up and nodded.

"I got that much." She admitted, uncrossing her arms, "Is that it?" Luke shrugged.

"I guess I haven't quite unlocked my full potential, and she wants me to find Gerali on Advorosia to help me learn it." Mara sighed and shook her head.

After a time, she laughed and informed him, "It's always a party with you Skywalker." Luke chuckled to himself before turning to her and stealing her up into his arms. He made it very apparent that he didn't want to think anymore about the topic, choosing to meditate on it later. It was rare that he had time with Mara, and even a foreboding visit from his grandmother would not hold him at bay.

"You don't say?" he asked as he kissed her cheek, bringing her to flush, "And here I thought you kept life interesting." Mara chuckled and turned to kiss him once more. It was a relief to see that Luke no longer felt threatened by his grandmother's apparition, but this new threat still kept him a bit tense. She hoped to encourage him to relax a bit, and to enjoy their rare time together.

"I do keep life interesting." She assured him, "You're just bizarre."

Luke snorted when he heard that, falling back to his back to relax while Mara rested her head on his chest again, "I'm bizarre? Really?" He teased.

"You have more identity issues than I do." She informed him, "Darth Vader Junior."

Luke laughed loudly at the quip, having heard that before from Han, but never Mara, "According to my sister, I am Darth Taskmaster." Mara chuckled a bit and shook her head.

"No, Darth Junior suits you." They could not help but laugh at that comment. After a moment, the laughter died down, and Luke found himself wondering about Mara's activities.

"How's life in the fast lane anyways?"

Mara snorted, suddenly wanting to talk about anything else. "Irritating... I sucker punched the captain of Saleucami's palace guard last week because he short changed us on a bounty." Luke smirked, picturing the look on any man's face after one of Mara's punches, "Other than that, good I guess..." she paused a moment before lifting herself up to look him in the eye, "Outside of the Council and your dead grandma's ghost, how are you?" Luke frowned.

"Do I have to talk about it?"

Mara chuckled and shook her head, "Good point? Why are we talking anyway?" She leaned down and brought her lips to his with a wide grin, intending on being more passionatethan before. And Luke welcomed the idea, having missed her greatly.

It wasn't long, however, until Artoo moseyed into the room, beeping at his master, who'd flipped their arrangement over to find better angles to kiss Mara with. With his already unruly hair sticking out in new directions, Luke turned to the astromech with a sigh.

"Are they now?" He asked aloud, his voice incredulous, "And you have access to the feed?" Mara sighed and sat up, trying to fix the rat's nest that had formed on her own head. "Well, play it then, buddy."

While Artoo's projector provided Luke with a small, blue holographic visual of the High Council Chamber, Mara meandered to his small kitchen to find something to eat in the ice-box. It didn't take her long to find Leia's delivery from the night before.

"_Well, masters_," Came the voice of one Nautolan Jedi Master by the name of Geri Nallit. She'd been inducted several months ago onto the council by Luke and Corran's nomination, "_I think it is high time that we do something about our mutual reservations over Master Skywalker._"

Saba Sebatyne frowned, _"I see no reasons to have any reservations about him."_

Another human master by the name of Moris Reubak shook his head, "_You still say that knowing that Master Skywalker wanted to exclude the Barbels from training?"_ Saba frowned in her Barabel way and shook her head.

_"I understand his hesitancy."_ She admitted,_ "Master Skywalker is one to consider many possibilities, and we need him to keep our council balanced."_

Reubak frowned, his black and silver beard sticking out as he did, "_Well, I knew his father quite well during the days of the Republic... and the boy is transforming into him more and more each day... Do we really need another Darth Vader in our midst?"_

"Erhm," Mara called from the kitchen, "Darth Junior... get it right you geezer!" Luke snorted as Mara rummaged through his drawers, "Oooh!" She cried out suddenly as Reubak continued to rip into his character before the council, "You bought ladles!... Why?" Again he sniggered while watching the feed.

Corran Horn was now the one speaking,_ "Personally, the only worry I have with Master Skywalker is that he's... so perceptive. It's like he listens to a different frequency of the Force than the rest of us."_ Several members of the council nodded when they heard that, _"We all saw this earlier in the meeting over the Tano girls... he wasn't even there!"_

A younger member of the council, a Twil'ek man with green skin nodded, _"But that doesn't justify cutting him off from us... He's been our best resource this whole time, finding us and bringing us together under a single roof."_

Reubak cut him off, _"Yes,his father's roof built on the pain of a thousand systems... sounds ideal to me, Master Ywa."_ Luke sighed and sat back while Mara planted herself next to him with a bowl of slop.

"Your sister's a great cook." She pointed out, "And they are all idiots... I'd ignore them." Luke shrugged, still listening intently.

"I wish I could."

* * *

It was just past sunset when Luke and Mara decided fresh air was preferred over that stifling appartment. Despite all that was said about him, Mara was impressed with how Luke hadn't allowed himself to be personally affected by it. Even as they walked, she could feel his efforts to release his pain into the Force, and was proud.

Proud because, unlike her, this man could do that much.

"Well," Luke suddenly told her, "With any luck, Darth Junior will catch on and they'll keep me around as a talking piece." Mara snorted, burying her face into his arm as they meandered about the streets together. Dressed in casual clothes, no one paid them a second glance, and they enjoyed the anonymity.

"I'll put it into a vote the next time they let me into that place." She informed him. He only smiled, wrapping his arm around her as they walked. "Still, it is a good thing you didn't get Mina Tano as your Padawan... it's bad enough with your sister always hanging around when I want to visit you." Luke sighed and rolled his eyes, turning them towards a small shop that sold apparel. He wanted to find a new pair of leather gloves for his artificial hand. Though the skin on it was tough, it didn't repair itself like normal skin and needed additional protection.

"Yeah, that conversation from the one time she almost barged into the apartment was a pretty interesting one the next day, that's for sure." Mara chuckled at his comment.

She then added innocently, "It was just a HoloVid."

"Right, cause we were actually watching the HoloVid." Luke teased his brows raised, to which Mara rolled her eyes. By now they'd recognized that the small boutique lacked leather gloves and continued onward towards any desert shop they could find. Apparently Leia's cooking encouraged Mara's sweet tooth.

"I was."

Luke smirked to himself and shook his head as they neared a small group of teens that appeared to be on the romp to do something troublesome. He sighed as he recalled his more rebellious days with Biggs Darklighter before the Rebellion. _Irony is a good word._

"You know," Mara suddenly inserted, her voice serious as they neared one of the many parks in the area, "That stuff I said about identity issues... you know I was kidding right?" Luke nodded, scanning the trees for any sort of life form.

"I know." He assured her.

Taking his flesh hand once more, Mara added, "At least you know your family's name... I'm even jealous that you have a list of worlds to belong to, even if Advorosia is... well, no place I've ever heard of." Luke shrugged, having the same issue. "I'll bet it is in Wild Space or something." Mara suggested, "Anyway, you know that I can't even remember my family's names really... I just knew they were different from my own."

"You think they adopted you?" Luke wondered aloud. Mara nodded.

"I suspect my history is about as complicated as yours, truthfully." She informed him, suddenly noticing how he stiffened, "What is it?"

Turning with a feral gaze she'd only seen on him a few times before, Luke growled, "Something's wrong." His eyes were on the old Jedi Temple ruins to the east. And, without a second word, he dashed off into the crowds of upper district shoppers, nearly disappearing in the movement of the district. Rolling her eyes a second, Mara prepared herself to chase after him.

* * *

He might not have been a Jedi, but Han knew one thing for sure: his gut didn't like the feel of any of this. Not two hours after finishing supper had Leia insisted something was wrong at the Old Jedi Temple and stormed out of their apartment towards the ruins with a look of fierce determination on her face. And he, being the idiot that married her, followed suit.

So as she did her Jedi thing around the place, scanning the rooms with all "three" of her eyes, Han took a moment to breathe. "I'm sure it's nothing." He pointed out to her, "Just super paranoia or gas or something."

Stopping, Leia turned to him with a raised brow that screamed, G_as? Really?_

Han grinned a moment and followed her carefully into the darkness that was the ruin.

Leia shrugged as she stepped over the rubble, her hand on the silver hilt of her lightsaber. "If it's just paranoia, then why are Luke and Mara on the other side of the temple doing the same thing?" _All right,_ Han admitted internally,_ She's got me there._

They progressed a little further, Leia walking calmly down the darkened lanes while Han stood nearby with his blaster raised. Together, they could be ready for just about anything, and it certainly felt that way now. As they passed through the old mess halls and into the main arboretum, the duo carefully scanned the ruins with uncertain eyes. That is, until Leia spotted the way to the archives.

Han knew she'd rummaged her way through this place enough times with her brother to have a general understanding of the demolished building, and so he trusted her to lead the way without landing them on an unstable floor. He followed behind her tentatively, knowing he had enough weight more on him to make the difference if it really came down to it. Leia, light a as a feather, didn't seem to care.

"Skywalkers..." Han muttered under his breath as he proceeded behind his wife, "What's with you guys anyways? Always 'sensing' this and 'foreseeing' that... I sure hope it skips our kids."

Leia chuckled as she pushed the door to the archives open, spotting another lantern across the room. "Fat chance of that Han." She told him with a grin, "You'd better get used to it now, or our kids will shock you to your grave." Han rolled his eyes as he followed his wife through the door, his eyes also catching the light from across the room.

Carefully, Leia stepped over the rubble of the nearly empty archive, her eyes straining against the light as she approached it. Eventually that light found her.

"Organa?" Mara's voice echoed from across the room, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Standing up straighter, Leia rolled her eyes while her husband approached conversation distance. "Well I could ask you the same thing Jade. Besides, its Solo now... not that you'd know since you skipped out on our invite." Han bellowed out. Despite the light, Han could see Mara's eyes roll as she pushed her red locks behind her ears.

"Luke sensed something." She told them, ignoring Han's outrage. It was hardly a surprise. What one twin sensed, the other felt as well. Their bond made anomalies in the Force nearly impossible to hide from each other. Sometimes it was tricky to figure out who sensed what.

"Any idea what it is?" Leia asked, her eyes turning towards the murky darkness where she knew her brother was approaching from.

"Not really." Luke's voice responded long before he re-entered view, shocking Han and even startling Mara a bit in the ghostly way he approached. "But, whatever it is, I don't like it." Leia nodded in agreement, taking out her own lantern to survey the space. Around her she found all sorts of rubble, but nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. That is, until she spotted the orange face of something very angry.

Long before she'd sensed him, Darth Devaro launched himself towards Leia, knocking her off balance. She watched as Luke made to rescue her, Han right behind him, but it all went dark on her.

From his post across the room, Han dashed towards his beloved wife, but watched in horror as Luke took off after her into a small stairwell they'd missed. And as he disappeared, the floor closed up. But rather than stop, Han fell to his knees, trying to break the floor with his fists.

"Out of the way!" Mara cried out as she reached for her lightsaber and shoved it into the tile. All the purple blade did, however, was reflect back up, nearly hitting Han's knee.

"'the hell?" He demanded of fate as he rose up in bewilderment.

Mara panted as she tried again, this time nearly taking her own arm off, "It must be treated so that the sabers reflect."

Han looked at her incredulously, "Well no kidding, Red. What the hell do we do now?"

Glancing at him with distressed green eyes, Mara shrugged. "I... I don't know."

* * *

Luke moaned a bit as his mind righted itself, his eyes adjusting to the low light of the lantern in the room. He wasn't entirely awake yet, but he was well aware of who was staring at him. Zion Tano and his Mirialan friend. Their faces were faint in the dark light, but present enough that he could identify them. But how had he gotten here in the first place?

Deliberating slowly, so as not to shock his senses with too much, Luke recalled his mad dash down the stairs after Leia and how the Mirialan had been hiding there, her presence well masked by a powerful coldness in the room. _The third?_ Luke wondered, recalling that other presence from before. Whoever it was, Luke hadn't sensed the Mirialan coming, and so his body was completely off guard when the large wooden table leg came colliding with the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.

There was a sudden shifting in the room, bringing Luke back from his thoughts. The Mirialan had moved forward and was now staring him down intently. _Gods, please don't..._Before he could finish his plea, the Miralian did exactly what he hoped she wouldn't do. Lay a big slobbery kiss across his lips. It was all he could do to ignore her as he looked for an out from their situation.

As the Mirialan backed away, smiling to herself, Luke's eyes darted over to Tano: apparently he hadn't enjoyed that move either, judging by his scowl.

"I've always wanted to do that!" She exclaimed as she backed away, "Especially now since you wont be alive much longer." Luke rolled his eyes, _how many times have I heard that one by now?_

But rather than dwell on the thought or the Sith Lady, Luke stretched his senses out to find the others. Leia was quick and easy to find, slowly stirring to consciousness to his left. Han and Mara, on the other hand, were at least a floor up. And judging by both of their presences, neither were happy. In the distance, he could sense other Jedi entering the temple, likely on the hunt for their missing comrade. Luke sighed; if Mara and Han couldn't get to them, the other masters didn't have much luck. He trusted the masters with his life, but he knew who was really effective in a pinch too.

"Right you are, young Skywalker." Came a hiss of a voice from across the room, "Your friends wont ever make it here: this room was built to withstand assault and protect the treasures of this temple. And, despite war and your father's Jedi Purges, it has held." She motioned her claw-like hand towards a small metallic and wooden orb on the table before her. Luke just stared at it incredulously. He could tell it was significant; it radiated strange energy after all, but he couldn't quite place the energy. It wasn't light energy, nor was it something of the dark side. A neutral perhaps?

But something else caught his attention as well, "What do you know about my father?"

The hag smirked to herself, "Only a little bit more than you do, Son of Darth Vader." Luke glared at her. "And you are perhaps his only decent creation, though I admit, I had higher hopes for your legacy, young Skywalker." Luke gulped and resisted the urge to look at his sister. To even think of his sister.

During their final battle, his father had divined Leia's existence right from Luke's very thoughts. She'd been injured on the moon below, and their bond was so strong that Luke could not help but feel for her, he could not resist trying to console her, and in doing so, he'd alerted his father to her presence*. Something their father had used against him to turn him to the dark side. He would not make that mistake again. Not until Leia was ready to claim her full identity and the repercussions that came with it.

"And yes, I know all about your precious sister." The witch added with a black-toothed grin. She could not help but notice the animalistic glare his eyes held at the mention of that fact.

"What is that?" came Leia's stern voice by his side, her eyes locked on the small wooden and metal orb. She wouldn't admit to Vader being their father to anyone but Luke and Han. And usually it was only to Luke. It was clear she wanted to avoid that elephant in the room if she could.

The witch-like Sith stepped forward, her black teeth showing through a curled smirk, "The Gamragist, my dear... the device of your execution."

Luke glared at her, "Don't you dare hurt her!" he growled, knowing that the threat against Leia pushed him alarmingly close to the dark side. It seemed no one was aware of this vital fact.

The witch proceeded to cackle, "My dear boy, you haven't a say in the matter." Using her invisible Force-grip, the hag raised Luke's flesh, left hand and Leia's right into the air. The two struggled, but were still too sore and out of it to really repel her. Anhilis had seen to it with the concoction of sedatives she'd injected them with. In a few minutes, however... they would wane and Master and Padawan would simply become the powering circuit of an extraordinary machine.

From there, she floated the Gamragist into the space between their hands, forcing the small, hooked pendulum free of it's hideaway. The twins watched in awe as the device began to glow, ticking like some evil clock from the depths of a black hole. And, slowly, the hag brought the pendulum to life, swaying it so that the curved side swung first.

And, as it swung, Luke and Leia felt a nagging pull at them, as though their energies were being sapped. It was painful, ripping at them from the inside like knives under their skin. Together they cried out, trying to break free of the temporary shackles that held them to the wall and the hag's invisible grip, but they could not. As their strength gained, it also depleted and by the time the pendulum clicked to one side, the room began to spin.

Faster and faster, the winds began to build around them, enveloping the three Sith and two Jedi into a whirlwind that made the whole room seem a void of darkness and color. As their energies faded, Luke and Leia began to grow nauseous. _Click._

"One year." The hag began to count.

* * *

Mara stood over the hatch into the secret passageway in a trance. She was trying to find Luke's presence in the Force while the other masters worked on finding the panel that opened the hatch. It was hard at first to find him, as his sister and he were quite good at fizzling their presence away when they slept, which is what she presumed was going on. No way were they fighting and not emitting their awesome powers.

For a moment, she felt them. They seemed groggy, but they were getting out of it.

And another moment later, they were in pain.

Then they were gone.

When Han heard the soft sobs of a very distraught Mara Jade, his heart sank into his chest. _Gods, please don't tell me..._ But he didn't need anyone to tell him, all he needed was the pained green stare of Mara Jade to confirm his suspicions: Luke and Leia were gone.

* * *

**Author's Note Part II: And we're back in time! I promised last chapter we'd get here and we finally made it. I hope that this chapter wasn't too confusing with the jumping around, but I wanted to squeeze in my last two plot points before this end. I did invent a quite a few things in this chapter again, namely Padme Trina, Dina Amirala, Gerali, Demantis, Pestilis, Anhilis, Devaro/Zion Tano, Moris Reubak, Ywa, Geri Nallit, Advorosia, the Refrat and Raloot System and the Gamragist. I hope these lists aren't too annoying, but I figure they are helpful in distinguishing what is and isn't borrowed, since the Star Wars expanded universe is _huge._ And I am looking forward to shortening these lists real soon.**

**I did want to congratulate Haley Renee on being the first one to figure out that Shmi was the one haunting Luke. I thought I was being real clever but you saw right through it. I must admit though, for those of you who thought it was Padme, I hadn't even considered her... and when I read your posts I was all "That's an AWESOME idea!" But I was too far along with what I had to really change anything.**

**Also, Sometimeswedream, I would have responded to your request earlier, but I think it would have given some of the suspense away. I never intended that Han and Mara go back in time with them. I agree, Luke and Leia's role as brother and sister really hasn't been explored very much in what I've read, and that's part of the reason I started this story. I mean, a set of super-strong Force-sensitive twins? What an awesome concept!**

**I want to thank you all for your posts. I'd love to respond to all of them here, but I'm sure that you all want my update as well. Here it is:**

**For those of you who missed the memo in the last chapter (as updating was getting squirrely on me), I'm considering writing and posting the back story of this Shmi Skywalker. I've a summary and a pole open on my profile page. If you're the least bit interested, you should check it out and vote. I have a chapter or so already written, but I'm not sure if I want to continue writing it, so I figure... maybe you all should decide for me.**

***Also, that part about how Darth Vader learned about Leia was totally in the _The Return of the Jedi_ novel. It was really cool to read that, inspiring really.**

**Thanks again and sorry about the micro-essay! The rest of my author's notes should get smaller for the rest of the story. Now... On to chapter 7!**


	7. Chapter 7: An Age Long Forgotten

**Author's Note: Here is part two of my big thank you. Thank you all for supporting this story with your views, reviews, favorites, and follows! You're the best!**

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

It was a cosmic event unlike any before it.

One moment the Force was at unrest, teeming with a darkness that Jedi Grand Master Yoda felt brewing for decades, waiting to be unleashed. All around him were shadows of a nefarious nature, poisoning the souls of his devoted trainees. His proverbial children, as it were. But, without cause, a strange slimy feeling pulsed in the Force, making Yoda feel sixty times his actual age- which was saying something. Even sitting in his chair felt like too much work.

And then, out of nowhere, a blinding light burst through the Force! It scrambled all his senses and nearly knocked him out of his chair. Around him, other masters were shaken by it. Masters Unduli and Windu being the nearest. They glanced about the high chamber in astonishment, practically drinking in the light resonating from the depths of the temple. A potent, unhindered light. It was like fresh water in the midst of a dark desert.

"Such power!" Master Unduli noted, her eyes still glossed over from the amount of energy that startled her senses, "What could it mean?"

Yoda continued to drink in the goodness he felt, finding that the shadows that aged him were slowly melting away. "Know this, we cannot." He decided with a smile, "But a good omen, this is. Of this, I am certain." He nodded, making his words final in his own mind and those around him. He wasn't pompous, he just wanted to believe them to be true so much.

"It seems..." Windu struggled, his mind's eye trying to track the source of such great power, "That this presence is coming from inside the temple... one of the Younglings perhaps?" Yoda shook his head, already certain he knew who was behind such amazing powers.

"No... A Youngling, this is not." Yoda decided aloud, "There is with such power, only one:..."

* * *

"Master Jedi!" The tall, lean Muun ambassador greeted him with a curt nod, "We are glad to see you. It is with great regret that you are here on such... unfortunate terms." The Jedi merely nodded a moment, a coy smile on his face as he gathered as many different things to say in his mind as possible. What he could do to tease her? _Hmmm..._he deliberated with a grin,_ so many wonderful options._

Together they strode across the landing platform, the snowy mountains of the planet Scipio in the background. For many they would be a lovely sight, one of passion and solace. But for this particular warrior, they were merely another form of waste. This one was of snow, but it was simply a reverse-Tatooine for him. He held no interest in such snowy peaks.

The lean Muun ambassador passed the Jedi off to another official as he entered the foreboding complex that was the Vault City of Scipio. The heart of the Banking Clan, as it were. This Muun was none other than Mak Plain, the representative of the Banking Clan for the Senate. He was a thin creature, with eyes that seemed more shifty than honest, but almost every Jedi had learned to accept that about most senators a long time ago.

Plain nodded cordially towards the esteemed Jedi Knight with hardly an expression on his long face, "Greetings General Skywalker." He acknowledged, "Perhaps it would be best to get this over with. The Core Five are most upset about this... travesty." Anakin waited, measuring the words of the Muun. His ocean colored eyes closed slightly, alarming the representative a bit. Or perhaps it was the sight of his wild blond hair. He never appeared the way most expected a Jedi to look.

"Agreed." He finally replied as they walked past the many different holding cells on the Banking Clans core complex. In it were several different compartments for fools who believed they could pick the lock on the vault of the galaxy. They walked in silence for the most part, Anakin still attempting to sort out what he would say next. But, as he did, a strange field emitted itself in the Force, one that almost felt like a syrup-like substance was coating his very limbs. He felt slow and lethargic. Cranky even. The fun was lost.

As the Muun guard opened the cell door to reveal a lovely young woman, Anakin attempted to smile. He really tried. This was his moment to tease her. To remind her of just how much trouble she could be. And then she'd get him back with a few memories of her own. But no.

He just couldn't find the stamina to.

She must have been napping, as she was splayed across the small sofa inside the cell. Despite this, her hair was entirely in place, something he found most surprising about her many intricate hairstyles. She glanced up at him at first with a look of happiness, then a look of stubbornness. It must have been the fatigued look upon his face. Perhaps she was misinterpreting it.

Padme Amidala, in all her regal pride, switched from her stubborn mask to one of concern upon observing him. "Anakin?" she inquired, attempting to burst forth from her cell, but being held back by a guard. "What's the matter?"

He just shook his head, trying to shake away the syrupy feeling. It didn't work; it only made him more exhausted.

"I'm just jetlagged." He told her with another attempt at a forced grin. Of course, her head shake and stern brown eyes didn't buy that for a second. "You've been released into my custody, Senator Amidala. I suggest we get going back to Coruscant where this matter will be addressed and investigated." In hearing that, the Muun guard stationed at her cell let her go. She practically ran to the towering man's side. It was hard not to.

Fighting the urge to take his arm, and thus expose her true feelings for him, she attempted instead to keep pace with him as he strolled back towards his ship. The two hadn't even bothered to thank the Muun representative for his hospitality. "What were you thinking?" He suddenly jabbed at her, crankier than normal, "Robbing THE bank! Not just A bank, it had to be THE bank?" Padme sighed.

"I wasn't robbing it." She informed him frankly, "I was gathering intel. And it is imperative that we get back to the senate with it." Anakin's ocean colored eyes turned towards her with raised brows.

"And why is that, _Senator_?"

She glanced at him again with a frown, not liking when he got all condescending with her, "Because I discovered something pivotal: the vault is empty." That bit of news stopped Anakin dead in his tracks. He crossed his flesh arm over his mechanical one and stared at her through his dishwater locks. They always fell into his face for some reason, this time because of the cold mountain wind flowing through him from behind.

"And why, might I ask, would you know this?" he wanted to know. _Again with that voice!_ Padme felt her inner voice grumble,_ It's like he thinks he's the older one!_

"Well..." She attempted to start carefully, "Rush said-"

"-_Rush?_" Anakin cut her off as he leaned in most angrily towards her, "As in Rush Clovis, the traitor? You trusted Rush Clovis?" Though not a Jedi, she could sense his suspicions, see them in his deep blue eyes even. Anakin never liked that Padme had been in a relationship with Rush.

But still, despite his jealousy and how much that clouded his mind, Padme held her ground. "For your information, ANAKIN," she got toe to toe with him, not caring if one of the guards saw her- not that they did, "I checked his story out first. I'm not some stupid little girl who-"

"-I never said that!" He informed her, but then suddenly doubled over in what seemed like pain.

"Ani?" Padme cried as she rushed to his side, "Ani? What's wrong?" He didn't respond right away, he only winced. With his eyes welded shut, the young man jumped at the slightest touch, something strange for him since he always sensed with the Force long before someone approached him.

"The light!" Anakin suddenly hissed, "It's so bright. It almost hurts in some places." He put his hand over his heart, as though protecting it.

"What light?" Padme inquired as she wrapped an arm around the broad shoulders of the knight, "Ani? What light are you talking about?"

He finally opened his eyes, and turned to look at her with eyes that were glowing like some variant of Lightsaber Crystal. "In the Force, there is a bright light in the Force!" He staggered backwards a moment before resting himself on the hull of his ship. "God! Padme, it's so bright I can hardly see at all!" Padme walked towards him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Why is it burning me? I don't... I don't understand..." Sure enough, his face was red from pain, and in some places, his flesh was starting to sear.

* * *

Luke liked to traverse the spiritual realm, but he'd never been here before. It was a strange place, a place filled with more colors than he'd ever seen in his life. To his left, he saw large masses of burning light flow by. To his right, he found more. Everything seemed to swirl around him in bright, positive radiance. He wasn't sure if he'd go blind by the sight of it.

"Hello?" he called out, hoping to find some guide here, "Is anyone there?"

As soon as his voice echoed out some, Luke turned to find a faceless shape, near transparent in appearance, facing him. It was clearly a man, as far as the broad shoulders could tell him, and at some point, he surmised it to be human. But his face was missing... hiding in the shadows.

"Who are you?" Luke inquired carefully, "Where is this place?"

He heard a rumble of a laugh from the faceless man, "Where do you think this place is?" The man then disappeared and reappeared behind Luke again, forcing the man to turn once more, "This is the realm of halves... the place where beings drained of their life force go to. A graveyard of Shaetin victims. We are the Shades of former souls."

"Shaetin?" Luke inquired, attempting to approach the man, "What are Shaetin?"

The man disappeared again, this time forming himself next to one of the large stars, "Here, we can rebuild our lost potency... I have been here more than fifty years." He placed his hands on one of the stars, his appearance suddenly becoming more opaque. But still... his face remained invisible. "The Shaetin are what take our life away... they are monsters... ghosts really."

"Ghosts?" Luke wondered as he floated nearby, hesitant to put his hand on that same star. "You mean like what Obi-Wan is when he visits me?" The figure nodded, grabbing Luke's hand and pressing it onto the star. Instantly, Luke felt a swirling sensation through his veins, and found himself light headed.

"Your body is being drained by this Gamragist, young Skywalker." he informed him, his form suddenly fading away into the light again, his voice echoing around Luke, "Take this light of the Force, keep both your sister and yourself from becoming drained as well; she will take this energy through your bond..." Luke nodded, feeling elated at the power he was receiving. But, after some time, the figure added, "You will be tested in this time by many foes, your own father included." The man appeared once more by another star, "I will teach you a technique that will help you keep your light and ensure that, despite the difficulties of reaching Advorosia, you will find Gerali." Luke nodded, suddenly determined.

Again, the man faded away, appearing near a new star that he touched. It was around then that Luke noticed the many figures, all shadows, disappearing and reappearing near these stars. The whole region was filled with them. _All victims,_ Luke realized.

Dashing across the space, Luke appeared near his new instructor. "I'm ready."

He sensed the man must have been smiling, "I know you are... Now listen well, young Skywalker. For you cannot return to this space unless you are between times-"

"-Who are you?" Luke first inquired, wanting to know who to thank.

He heard a chuckle from the man, like a slow rumbling, "You are impatient like your kin. My name is..."

* * *

Pestilis smirked as the winds subsided, revealing a well lit passage as the motion sensor lights once again became workable. Across from her was a pleasant sight: Skywalker and Organa-Solo still held in place by the temporary shackles, completely unconscious. Anhilis and Devaro were eyeing them in a way that spelled out their thoughts. They wanted to kill the blasted Jedi, and, under normal circumstances, Pestilis would have let them.

"Leave them." Pestilis ordered of her apprentices, "We still need them alive."

Both Devaro and Anhilis glanced at her incredulously, not seeing the fluttering of blond lashes across the room. "Why is that, my master?" Anhilis inquired with her typical, childlike voice. Pestilis stepped forward and retrieved the Gamragist from the floor where it landed. She was relieved to see that its locking mechanism was still open. The one that held the pendulum in place.

"Have you already forgotten, dimwit! Because we need their power to return us to our own time," she told them as she found a small, dust covered box on a nearby shelf. Carefully, she placed the orb-like Gamragist inside. "In using the Gamragist, we've created a time-paradox, and so we will need to travel forward before closing it."

"A time-paradox?" Devaro asked as he approached the old hag he called master.

Pestilis nodded, closing the box and passing it to Devaro to carry until they could hide it, "Yes. You see, time travel is very tricky. One small change here could constitute a chain of events that would create a situation in which we didn't use the Gamragist. To make it so users could see their purpose through to the end, the lost Sith found a way to block the currents of time into a temporary paradox. By closing the locking mechanism on the end of the pendulum, we close the paradox and allow all our workings to effect the passage of time at once."

Devaro nodded, hoping he understood her correctly, "And if we locked the mechanism here?"

"We would be stuck here." Pestilis finished for him, "Without a clue as to who we were or why we came to exist in this time... Which is why we still need them." She gestured over towards the still forms of the Jedi Master and his Padawan-sister. After a moment to regard them, Pestilis turned towards a small corridor by the stairs, the one that Anhilis had hidden behind to strike Skywalker from. "Come." She ordered as she moved, "We have much to do. We have only three candidates to investigate, and it could take some time until we know for certain who the lover is."

Her two henchmen chuckled as they followed her down the passageway. Luke watched them carefully as he slowly brought himself to stand. He had a headache like no other, but that wasn't what concerned him. Leia was. Gently, he reached out with the Force to check on her presence. He did not feel that she was in pain, but he could tell she was as drained as he. Drained despite all he'd absorbed from that star in the realm of halves.

He had no doubt that that vision had occurred.

"Sis?" he tried as he shook her with his free, flesh hand, "Leia? Are you all right?" She didn't move right away, but slowly, she stirred.

"Luke?" She mumbled as she got her bearings, breathing deeply as she became more conscious, "What in the hell happened?" she grumbled as she tried to stand. It didn't take long for her to realize she wasn't going to be able too.

Luke sighed as he too struggled to gain footing. It took a while, but he managed somehow. Next was the trickier part, getting out of the shackles so he could help his sister. They were latched with a digital lock, and so their was little Luke could do to work them free with his still weakened Force-presence. All that was left was to jostle them and hope their journey did enough to free him the rest of the way.

To his good fortune, it had.

With one fierce cry and a jerk with all his strength, Luke pulled his right arm free of the wall and stumbled into the table. Catching his breath there, he slowly stood up and proceeded to yank Leia's bindings free as well. That one, fortunately, took less strength.

As he yanked her into his arms, Leia glanced about the space, noting that it seemed much younger than the hovel they'd originally entered. While Luke caught his breath against her, she attempted to reach out with the Force towards those around them, hoping to find Han and Mara. Instead, she felt the faint presences of strangers, one of which seemed eager to connect with her.

_Where am I?_ She asked this fierce being she'd found.

It seemed surprised by her question, and she could feel that it was also distrusting, _The Jedi Temple...How- how did you get here Skywalker?_ Leia furrowed her brow at the question. No one had called her Skywalker in many years, the last one likely being her mother when she was born. How did this person know who she really was?

_I walked._ She replied before her brother stepped away from her and shook his head.

"You must not talk to them until we understand our situation." Luke warned her, "We don't know what will happen if you do." Confused, Leia nodded and watched as her brother surveyed the room for himself. He was relieved to feel Leia withdraw her presence from the stranger's.

The passageway that the others had taken was still wide open, though where it led, he couldn't be sure. He wanted to wait a while before embarking down them, simply to avoid finding their enemies before they were ready to face them. He knew they would eventually be back, but that would be when they were ready to "use" him and Leia again. Luke frowned: it was one thing to target him, but his sister was another. He felt that familiar darkness well up in him once more. But, following the shade's instructions, Luke pushed that energy outwards.

And somehow he felt his energy grow.

"What's going on Luke?" Leia asked from over by the table. He turned to survey her again. She was still unbelievably pale, and he'd be a bad brother not to get her to a hospital soon. Who knows what that Gamragist did to either of them.

Luke shrugged, his eyes turning towards the flight of stairs where what was likely a group of Jedi Masters were waiting. _How will we explain this to them?_ Luke wondered, knowing full well that none of them would believe he was Anakin Skywalker's son. Even if he did apparently resemble him... a lot. Then there was that issue with Coruscanti Jedi and having families...

"That old hag really wants us dead." Luke seethed as he returned towards by his sister, still panting as he did. He could feel his energies growing, impressed by the speed of their return, but his body was exhausted none-the-less. "She grabbed this thing called the Gam... Gammageist? Gamragist!" He breathed, and rubbed his eyes, "Sorry, sis, I'm as out of it as you are. The Gamragist, an old Sith weapon or something. I guess she used us to power it and send us back in time." He chanced a glance at Leia, who just stared at him with her brow furrowed and her mouth agape.

"Did you hit your head?" She inquired, bringing a laugh to Luke as he noted the increase in shuffling above. It seemed that the Jedi Masters were trying to get down there.

"Not hard enough." Luke replied, "I guess she's trying to kill us before we were born... It sounds as though she is only investigating Jedi, so if our mother is not one of them, we might have an edge." Leia continued to stare at him like a mad-man.

"An edge?" She pressed as a particularly loud slam from above startled them both. Those Jedi were certainly getting determined. Even the dust on the shelves were starting to rustle. Somehow they'd stayed put despite the winds that had ushered them into this time.

Luke nodded as he tried to stand on his own again, only to feel light headed. _He's gone mad._ She decided in her mind, which Luke heard and frowned.

"Am not!" He retorted aloud, "I know what I heard Leia, and those _many_ unfamiliar Jedi Force-presences seem to count as evidence." Leia shrugged, looking down at her toes. She waited a while before replying, weighing all that Luke had told her.

"So... it seems we have a mission then." Leia decided, her dark brown eyes turning towards her brother. He nodded, turning back towards the stairs when an even louder crash sounded. Leia gathered the will to stand on her own, "Was that a shelving unit?" She asked in awe. The several other crashes seemed to indicate that much.

"They are determined." Luke grumbled as his eyes fixed on the small passageway, "I think it's time to go. We need to get you to a doctor at least."

Leia stared at him incredulously, "Why? I'm fine."

It was a challenge and Luke knew it. Usually he avoided upsetting his sister, but he didn't have the energy to side-step her comment, "You're pale as a ghost and we don't entirely understand what just happened to us. Good enough reason for you?" He challenged sternly, his icy blue eyes falling on his sister in determination. When she swallowed and backed off, he let out a relieved exhale. No one in the galaxy could argue as good as his sister, save for maybe his brother-in-law.

"Only if you get checked out as well." She told him, "You haven't looked this worn since..." she motioned down to Luke's right hand with her eyes. When he saw the pain she had in them, being the rock that kept him alive and sane through the entire Bespin incident, he nodded gently. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his sister. That had been the case since they'd met. And she relied on him just as much.

As another slam echoed down the stairs, the twins glanced at one another and ventured down into the small alcove that led into the hidden catacombs under the Jedi Temple. As they stepped into it, however, Luke noted something; his sister was shivering.

Covered in only a thin white shall, Leia's bare arms were coated in goose-pimples. Rather than force his sister to endure it, Luke shook his head and took off his favorite leather, yellow jacket. He set it on her shoulders before continuing onwards, with Leia crossing her arms over her chest to keep it in place for the time being. She smiled at her brother, thanking the stars that he was the one to make this journey with her.

Using the walls to support them, the Skywalker twins took their first steps into a lost world. One they knew only so much about, and one they would have to conquer to survive.

* * *

It had taken nearly a half an hour to calm Anakin Skywalker down after the strange light in the Force erupted. He'd been so shaken by the affect that power had on him, that he'd refused to take off until he'd gotten checked out by a Medidriod. The findings were... inconclusive.

Where Anakin's flesh had been seared was now absolutely normal. Practically new even. But that didn't eliminate the pain he felt when pressure was applied in those spots. It took all Padme had not to react as she would have liked towards his injuries; concerned, loving... normal. However, to be so doting before the audience of the core five and the representative of the Banking Clan would have been career ending. Especially for Anakin.

"What did you say attacked him?" Mak Plain inquired suspiciously. His brow was raised at quite the angle, at least to Padme it was. You couldn't always tell with a Muun.

Anakin, however, was the one to answer him, "A Force-presence attacked me. It wouldn't be something your men could do anything about." Plain continued to eye him wearily, even as Anakin stood up and pulled himself free of the medical odds and ends wired into him.

Padme stood beside him, trying her best to look as much like a concerned friend as she could, "Are you sure you should be up and walking around?" He didn't even flinch at her concern. Rather, he stomped off towards the door without a second glance.

Padme was left stumped before the Muuns, unsure of what to do until she heard Anakin's harsh voice, "Senator Amidala!" That jarred her into following him, though why she was feeling so small at the moment was beyond her.

As she caught up with Anakin, the Muuns departing in the other direction, she inquired, "Are you really all right?" Her voice was low, but laced with all the worry she'd been trying to hide. Anakin nodded.

"I'm just confused." He admitted wearily, "That was the most beautiful light I'd ever seen. So much color. So much... life. And yet, it burned me." Anakin turned towards Padme, "And I don't understand why. I doubt Obi-Wan or Master Windu were scathed by it. So why was I?" Padme chanced a glance up at him with a worried face. His was just as lined with concern.

"So what are we going to do?" She asked, suddenly seeing his problems as being her number one concern. Something she wasn't very proud of but knew better than to resist. Anakin glanced down at her with his unscathed eye.

"You said you had proof to show the senate?" He inquired carefully. Padme nodded, but braced herself for what comes next.

"I gave it to Clovis when I was arrested." Through the corner of her eye, she could see him tense up, shoulders, gait and all.

"_Clovis._" He muttered under his breath, "Fine. Where do we find that Sleemo?" Padme gulped as they exited the medicare unit of Scipio's Vault City. Around them, the mountains came into full view, along with the snow-capped peaks that hid Clovis's private residence.

"Well..." Padme breathed in, "We could try his house."

* * *

Luke and Leia had been meandering below the Jedi temple for nearly an hour by the time they felt a breeze of fresh air trickle by them. They weren't quite sure where they were, but they knew that they had at least come near where they could escape. Being unable to use their Force-senses, or risk being detected, was a frustrating factor of this adventure. Usually Luke could just fool whoever was nearby with a Force-illusion or trick, but an entire temple would have been too much. He'd never fooled more than ten Force-sensitives at one time.

As they continued to walk down the narrow hall, Luke brushed a little more dust off of his arms. Without his jacket, he was being covered in various cobwebs and soot from old battles. Many old murals and reliefs were hidden behind such dust, making Luke wonder just exactly how old the Jedi Temple really was. He'd heard it had been erected in the days of the Old-Old Republic, but that almost seemed too young.

Finally spotting a truer source of light than the small pen-lamp he and Leia had been using, they scooted out of the path into a small anti-chamber.

They were surprised by what they'd found. The room was lit by the storm-drains of the Temple Courtyard above, that had small mirrors enlayed into the stone to bring the light back into the grand room. The rest of the room was lit by fluorescent fungi that lined the floors and walls. Though the room itself was as old as the temple, it was clear to the twins that the stone and decorations were far, far older. And likely from far, far away.

They stepped into the peculiar crab-grass, hearing slight crunches as they moved through various weeds of what was once a well tended midnight garden. Accidentally nudging a few stones to the side, Luke turned to find a small key on the ground of the temple. It was a peculiar key all its own, completely carved of bone and no bigger than an inch. The figure carved into the small key appeared to be some sort of serpent or Krayt dragon, and the artwork was remarkable.

"What did you find?" Leia inquired as she approached. Luke showed her the small ivory art-piece, passing it to her as he continued onwards in search of more important items.

He stood before a wall, one decorated with a strange, lion-headed man with two faces. One was of a courageous young warrior and the other... "Lay?" Luke called, uncertain if he was putting pictures where they didn't belong, "Do you see what I see?"

Leia pocketed the key and moved forwards towards Luke. She too admired the large relief, but did not see what Luke did right away. The lion-headed man had a fierce face to her right, but to her left, his face was almost metallic, with a mouth made in the shape of a triangle. The way his main fell, it almost looked like a helmet. "You don't suppose this is?" She inquired.

"About our father?" Luke wondered as he stepped back to look at it again. He thought carefully about it, "I don't think so, but the resemblance to Vader's helmet and mask is uncanny. I wish we had Threepio here to read the transcriptions." Leia rolled her eyes at the thought. She could just picture the fun she would have had traveling with that particular companion.

She then proceeded to distract herself with the rest of the mural. From the center figure, the lion-headed man, came two dragons. They were most peculiar in their shape and they weren't the only ones on the artpiece, but they were so prominent Leia couldn't help but stare at them.

One had wide set horns and seemed to be on fire. The other had more gentle winds about it and the horns were more vertically set. They almost seemed like what one would get if they merged a Krayt Dragon with a Togruta male and female respectively.

"What a strange piece of art." Leia commented before she heard something slam from down the tunnels. She practically jumped as she turned about to observe the alcove they'd skulked into the antechamber through. Luke had also jumped and they both glanced at each other wordlessly. They relied on their twin powers over the Force, just in case there were Jedi headed their way.

Their eyes scanned the room for a way out, and spotted one ledge under the storm-drains that seemed more open than the others. Luke boosted Leia up into it first, allowing her to test the resistance of the drain before he jumped up there as well. She lifted the grate up easily and pulled herself into the middle of the Jedi-Temple Courtyard. Strangely enough, it was empty.

Luke soon followed and they replaced the grate. Glancing about at the former temple in awe, Leia took Luke's hand and they proceeded in the direction of the front gates. If they were lucky, they could stroll right through them like tourists. Not that they were counting on it.

Suddenly remembering that they were in their civilian clothes, Luke turned to Leia and passed her his lightsaber. She hid it carefully in his inner-coat pocket, along with her own.

"This place..." Leia remarked in awe as they continued down the lane, hand-in-hand, "Is astounding. Not that your temporary-temple isn't, it's just..."

"No..." Luke told his sister flatly, "You are right. This is remarkable." They continued through the courtyard towards some of the training halls that were near the front. All around them were various statues honoring fallen Jedi, lore carved into the walls and columns so high, the normally petite Leia felt dwarfed. With every step she took, she became more overwhelmed by the reality and beauty of what she passed. And more afraid.

Their father could be around any corner.

But as they continued to stroll down the main hallway, lined on each side by vast columns of untold value, Luke spotted someone he'd long missed. Master Yoda was floating in their direction on his small chair, talking with a tall, dark warrior with no hair. Realizing his cover would be blown if they made eye contact, as master Yoda was perhaps the most perceptive creature he'd ever met, Luke turned Leia towards the railing and they stared out at the Coruscanti sky while the other two passed.

"Still baffled, I am," Yoda confided to the other Jedi master, "By that tremendous light. So powerful and so familiar, it was."

His companion added, "We have almost searched the entire temple complex. Skywalker is confirmed to still be on Scipio with Senator Amidala, so it was not him, as we had suspected." Luke heard Yoda grumble from directly behind him, likely lost in deliberation.

"Felt just like Skywalker, this light did." Yoda admitted, "Surprised by this, I am. Perhaps, this is, the other..." Yoda's voice trailed off as he fell deeper into thought.

"Other, Master Yoda?" Leia heard the deep voice of the dark-skinned Jedi inquire, "Other what? Other Skywalker?" Yoda did not answer.

Not right away, anyways. Luke guessed he was likely suspicious of the two unfamiliar silhouettes standing next to him, so he pretended not to be interested. "I can't believe this view." Luke admitted to his sister, "I always seem to forget how the smog of Coruscant can be as beautiful as it is ugly." Leia chuckled and took Luke's arm tenderly, hoping to seem lost enough in their own world.

"How did you two get into the temple?" The dark-skinned Jedi inquired, forcing them both to turn and face him. He stared down at them both sternly.

Luke gulped while Leia jumped right in. She was always the best at snap stories. "We're informants. Helping with a case at the moment." She told him, "Master... what was his name?" She mumbled to herself, goading her brother to search for some presence he knew well. Carefully, Luke closed his eyes and reached out behind him, hoping Yoda could not sense his activities if they were subtle enough.

"Master Kenobi." Luke informed them carefully. "He asked for us here. Something about..." Luke tried to think about something his old master had confided in him, some old interest, "Mandalore." He hoped he was right.

Though the tall Jedi Master didn't seem to buy it, Master Yoda merely smiled and nodded. "Then off to him, you must go. Unescorted through the temple, you cannot be. Know this, Master Kenobi does." Both nodded to him and scurried down the hall, amazed at their luck.

But while Leia celebrated their success, Luke knew better. There was no way to truly fool Master Yoda entirely. Not unless you were Palpatine.

Master Yoda watched them walk away with a wry grin on his face. He had a feeling those two were important for some reason. Something told him not to let them walk away from him. But deep down, it felt right to let them go.

There was something of the Light Side of the Force about them.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that! I did my best not to jump around so much, but there was so much to stage this round... Anyways, I invented the Realm of Halves, the Shades (though the Greeks had that name first), the Shaetin, Demantis, Gerali, Pestilis, Anhilis, Devaro/Zion Tano, Advorosia, and the Gamragist. I told you the list would get smaller :) I hope you all like the idea of their enemy being an evil Force ghost. I thought that, after Palpatine, their next enemy should pose a bigger threat.**

**I also wanted to thank Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay for commenting on each chapter. I loved all your posts!**

**Please don't forget to review!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Identity Issue

**Author's Note: Well, we're in the past... we've met Anakin for the first time and the plot has officially arrived! And it's only chapter 8! Thank you for sticking it out this far, I sure hope the journey has been enjoyable. **

**Though I did promise shorter author's notes, I realized I needed to make an exception here. In looking through all your wonderful reviews, I noticed a few questions I wanted to answer that won't spoil the plot any.**

**_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay-_ You are right, the timeline is a bit distorted. Though I try to stick to the source material as closely as I can, these two events did get moved around a bit for the sake of a few plot points I have in mind. The way I'm trying to convey it, Padme did contract the Blue Shadow Virus at the time of the original timeline, but I have changed one detail, her body was somewhat resistant to the cure, so she has coughing fits occasionally that keep her home. I did this for a reason, and I hope that, when the why is revealed, the change is worth it.**

**I've also broken the Banking Clan Scandal events apart. The episode does state that an investigation and a change of power have to be enacted during that time, so I am making the (probably safe) assumption that not all events occurred one after another. Usually huge conspiracies like that take months to resolve, and even longer to repair, so I don't think I am stretching this too far. The Old Republic clearly was a bureaucracy. In this way, I am able to pull other episodes out into the in between, as Padme's regular life would still continue while these investigations took place. She would simply come by to review the procedures and findings.**

**Thank you though for pointing this out. I will try to better lay out my setting more concisely in the future.**

**Bunnyofthemoon89- Sorry, I posted a response once before but it disappeared...weird... Anyways, you are right. I didn't really explain who Luke and Leia have met thus far. The Jedi talking to Yoda was Mace Windu, but I realize that his personality and description were lacking. Sorry about that. Also, Leia was talking to him in the secret room, but, again, that was not made clear (Which is too bad... imagine his face when Skywalker told him he walked to the Temple from Scipio).**

**I will do my best to better describe these characters, even if they are merely passing through the scene. Again, thank you for making this known to me. And thank you for electing to read Shmi's Story, thus far you are the first and I appreciate the support... we'll just have to see :).**

**I really appreciate the feedback I get in your reviews. I do read them all, even if I don't respond to them on a post or PM, and I take them into consideration when I edit out my story. It is especially helpful when you all point out what is missing or overdone in my story. I write so much when I sit down, and edit things as best I can, but I only have two eyes and one overworked brain. **

**Thank you for your helping me bring you a better story. I can't thank you all enough, honestly. Please keep up with the awesome reviews!**

**Now... On with the show!**

******__****Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**

* * *

She'd forgotten what this era felt like, with the torrent of winds clamoring around the upper levels of Coruscant like a typhoon of regret and anguish. The people were living like shadows, torn between fear and cockiness. This elected center of the galaxy had yet to face a confrontation in its own Clone Wars, but it felt the effects of it none-the-less.

Power outages and increased crime, rationing and the black market. Darth Sidious had created the perfect breeding ground for greed and manipulation. He'd constructed his plot well, allowing himself more stately gifts while the dividing lines between wealthy and wasting grew wider. His entourage were merely animals in fancy clothes, each eagerly stealing what they could for themselves.

Even the gleaming buildings, now shining in the sun's setting light, were starting to taint into their gloomier, future counterparts.

Yet still, smiles passed her by, and the eagerness of youth skipped around her. This past was not near as corrupt as the time that followed, when the empire reigned._ But the darkness is still enough to feed a Shaetin._ She realized.

Pestilis sighed as she surveyed the whole of Coruscant. She knew that the Skywalkers were no longer sleeping easily on the floor of the Temple. Rather, they were now leaving the temple themselves. Her mind's eye saw their beacon like Force-presences as they moved towards the Senatorial District, though, for what reason, she could not fathom.

Despite the confusing move on their part, she still cussed to herself in every language she knew. Her dark words did little upon the harsh winds, but they relieved some of her tension at least. She'd sensed her mistake in educating her buffoon apprentices nearly seconds after she'd finished her exposition.

The boy had been awake.

Knowing that he was apt to study and learn fast, his sister's capacity not far behind his own, Pestilis began debating the many outcomes of this development. Not liking the many options, she then started considering what could be done to distract them for the time being. Something that would pull them into weakness and away from the Jedi women she wanted to badly to hunt.

Fortunately, Anhilis returned from the under-levels of Coruscant. It wasn't her presence that solved any real problem. Even the smile on her face as she appeared with one of Pestilis's many credit stashes did nothing to ease her. No, it was the fact that she turned to address her that the solution appeared. Well, more like her inspiration did at the sight of one particularly well known figure on the HoloCast on a nearby display board.

She smirked wildly, watching from the bridge as speeders raced below the projected image of one very, very important senator.

* * *

The mountains really were beautiful. After enough time driving through them, he had to admit that in some way. And, normally, he'd be drinking in the view with his special someone, but they, well, weren't on any good terms right now. As he drove, Anakin glanced over towards the still upset Padme Amidala.

_I said I was sorry,_he thought to himself as he turned the speeder a little, matching the strong wind current coming his way, _but noo, not good enough._ His brow furrowed as he fought back his own frustrations. And she was frustrating sometimes.

In the distance, he could see a small set of dots that were likely the windows of Rush Clovis's private estate. Almost instantly, he felt his bitterness begin to boil. He didn't feel unjustified in how he felt either. "Is that it?" he asked Padme, who only moved enough to glance in the general direction they were heading.

"Yes," she told him before crossing her arms once more and continuing to stare into the mountains, "That is it." Anakin sighed and fought the urge to grumble to himself.

But even while perplexed and upset, he still couldn't help admiring just how lovely she looked in the sunlight. "I missed you." He suddenly added, which seemed to soften her up just a bit. She tried to hide it though with a hurrumph and a glance another direction. But even he could see that she was smiling.

Anakin landed the speeder on the small pad attached to Clovis's residence. It was a complex of many disk shaped buildings forged from steel sitting atop the mountain side. The place looked decent on the outside, if your style was snowball. _I've always preferred more..._ he contemplated his words carefully, _ship-like abodes._ Then he chuckled when he realized he practically lived on a ship.

"Do we have to do this?" he near moaned as they approached the front door, having walked the cold and windy landing that seemed to last forever and a half. Padme merely glared at him a moment before entering the door.

The inside was even less to his liking, as the place had been torn through like it had its own personal tornado. "Nice place." Anakin commented flatly, "Is the maid on strike?"

Padme glanced at him in warning, "Chances are someone's been through here, looking for the same thing we are." Anakin grumbled again, crossing his arms as he watched his wife scour the sides of the living room for signs or clues of where Clovis had hidden her data-transponder.

"Well, let's hope they did, so we can go."

Padme actually stopped and stared at him with her intense brown eyes, her mouth agape. "It's like you think the work I do doesn't matter! Sometimes, Anakin, I swear you are so-"

"-P-Padme?" came the hushed voice of a distraught Rush Clovis. He popped his head out from behind a couch like a lost prairie dog. "Is that you?" She quickly stepped over his direction, a smile of relief on her face.

"Rush?" She asked as she neared him, he standing at his full height nearly half a foot over her head, "Are, are you all right?" Rush sighed and embraced her, not caring that it brought the towering blonde in the room to a boil nearby.

Padme glanced at Anakin in apology, but he did not see it. Nor did he see her push the gentleman away to an arms length. His vision was punctuated. Rush. Red. Hug. Red. Padme and Rush. Red. It was getting hard to think. And then that burning came back near his heart and he had to stop and register that there was more at play than his inhibited perspective.

"If you two have had enough," Anakin almost snarled, "I think we'd better get going." He turned specifically to Clovis with malice in his eyes, as much as in his now burning heart, "The data-transponder, if you will." Clovis eyed him angrily and stepped back, pulling the transponder closer to him.

"I'm not trusting information this valuable to a common pilot!" he decreed, lifting his chest high to show just how much he thought of himself, or so Anakin thought. Padme jumped in.

"Rush please!" she cried out, stepping in between the two men. She was certain there was going to be a fight. Something inside her warned her of that.

"Common pilot!" Anakin retorted loudly, "Try the Jedi-Knight that is saving your ass!"

Rush went nearly nose to nose with him, "Like you did on Cato Nemoido? Because I seem to recall you leaving me there empty handed and ready to die!"

Anakin seethed at the reminder, "You got Padme poisoned!"

"BOYS!" Padme cried out, unable to endure any more of their masculinity bouncing off the walls. She knew exactly what this was: it was a surprise of Anakin's that she'd discovered shortly after their being married. He is a very passionate man. The problem was he was too passionate at times and nearly always overprotective. Territorial was another word for it, and it frustrated her to no end. This wasn't the first former beau of hers to get the stink eye from her beloved husband. And he had one hell of a stink eye. "I think we have more important things to worry about."

If her words didn't snap them out of their masculine brawl, the first few shots fired at them did. Instantly, the two men looked at one another, as though calling a temporary truce for the sake of the woman in the room, and bolted with her towards the speeder. But, as they ran, they soon discovered that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

* * *

As Bail Organa entered into his office to attend to his usual day of work, he found himself more restless than usual. Work was rather difficult, as the steel and stone features of his office, decorated to remind him of his precious Alderaan, did little to ease his mind. It was hard to not stare out his wall sized window and dream. Of course, that was to be expected. Breha had just given him the news!

He was to be a father soon! At last, after years of trying!

With a wide grin on his face, he turned towards his work with unbridled energy. Today was a good day. And hopefully, so too would tomorrow.

Instantly, he pressed his intercom and began addressing his assistant with a myriad of queries. She, being the patient woman that she was, took not of each one and began explaining the processes of each of his requests. But that news didn't bother him today, he was in no rush. "Thank you Caria." He wished her off as he cut the feed. Rubbing his hands together in nervous energy, he stopped to admire the view once more.

A view he hoped to show his future son or daughter.

But, as he settled into his work, he did not see the small tube enter his office through the vents. The one that allowed a peculiar cloud of orange to flow silently into the room.

* * *

Luke and Leia had just exited the temple and were now donning their lightsabers once more. Rather than strap them out in the open, they took advantage of what their civilian clothes could do for them. Their weapons were locked and hidden inside their coverings. With the way Luke's jacket billowed around his lean body, no one would have guess he had a lightsaber there. And Leia's stylish white shawl did the same.

Confident that they would not be bothered, the two strolled on down the main pedestrian walk towards the Galactic Senate Hall on Senate Square. They weren't sure where to start, and were just following their feet as they brainstormed ideas. Well, Luke was, anyways.

"So where do we start?" Luke wondered aloud, practically in a trance as he walked. Leia shrugged as she grabbed at his arm, to keep them from being separated as the lane narrowed near the larger buildings. It astounded her how many people were out this late. One of almost every sentient the galaxy had to offer strode right on by them, two or three in groups or gaggles at times. More often than not, most failed to notice them or care. Once in a while, a youth would stop and stare, but Leia was certain it had little to do with who they were. After all, no one knew of them in this time. Fame had nothing to do with it here. _Stupid genetics._

She turned her attention to the scenery and not the frustrating oglers. All around them, Coruscant seemed to grow taller. This was to be expected as they neared the more important government buildings. Only the main commercial district seemed to tower any higher.

Waiting for his sister to throw an idea out, Luke listed off what he was certain of, "Father is off world, and we can't be certain who our mother is yet." Leia nodded, still silent, "We know our enemies are after mother specifically, but we cannot assume they wont hurt father if they have to." Still no response from his sister.

"We need to get close to father," Luke added as they turned a corner towards the senate hall, not aware that his sister was guiding their footsteps, "But not so much that he can identify us in the future... the question is how."

At last, Leia spoke up, "You can."

Luke gulped; he hated when his sister got like this. "I'm not doing this alone." He outright told her.

"And I'm not going near that monster again."

Alarms ahead of them pulled them out of their argument.

It was then that Luke looked up and realized where their path had taken them. He sighed and turned to a pale faced Leia and shook his head. _She wanted to see _her_ father._

Rushing to the scene as fast as they could, Leia arrived in just enough time to push through the crowd and catch a glimpse of her adoptive father being pushed by on a stretcher. He was ghastly pale and had a breathing mask on him. His hair even seemed to be falling out.

"Luke!" She cried out, jumping into his arms to cry. Luke wrapped his flesh arm around her, and attempted to console his sister. "This never happened! Why is-" she sobbed.

Reaching out with the Force, Luke probed the body of the senator as the remainder of the medidroid and doctor team pulled themselves together to go directly to the hospital. The tone of the Force energy was chaotic, filled with fear, hate and even glee. It was hard to sense anything with his senses so tired and so many bystanders around him. He didn't see the peculiar Jedi warrior with dark hair and eyes turn around in just enough time to pick him out of the crowd. Even as he pulled his presence away.

But, despite the effort, Luke was satisfied with what he'd found. "He's fine." He decided. "He's only got a little scarring and his body is already healing." As she heard that, Leia backed up and stared into her brother's eyes incredulously before spinning around and watching the ambulance fly away.

"You're sure?" She wanted to know. Luke nodded.

"His lungs took the most of the effects." He admitted to her carefully, sending her feelings of assurance through the Force, "They are swollen, but that breathing mask his helping. Some of his skin got burned too, but none of it is more than minor burns... He should be fine and fast." Leia sighed and held her brother closely.

"Then we need to move and look after him." She decided suddenly, though not entirely sure how they would get anywhere in Coruscant without credits.

Luke nodded, but then his eyes turned towards a presence that was touching his, probing. Trying to detect sensitivity. "Sister..." Luke warned, asking Leia to pull her own presence in as he hid himself away in the Force . As she did this, the familiar face of the lovely Knight Potkin raised a brow and turned away from them.

Both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "Who's that?" Leia asked, knowing Luke had memorized most of the old Jedi Masters.

"Shadday Potkin." Luke told her, "Jedi Master and one of our top candidates."

Leia sighed, "Perhaps that is why they did this..."

Luke nodded, "I get the feeling that witch is behind this as well." Leia frowned and turned her eyes back towards Potkin curiously.

"I don't think that it's her." She told him flat out, turning her dark brown eyes back to his quizzical blue ones, "I remember our mother's presence... she doesn't feel a thing like her. Despite being sad, mother's spirit was much... warmer." Luke's brows raised, but when he felt Leia's certainty in their bond, he nodded.

"I trust you." He assured her, pouring his confidence into her through the Force, "And perhaps we should follow Organa. Another candidate might pop up if we watch over him." Leia smiled and pulled at her brother's arm, headed towards the taxis as they did. While they moved, she caught the suspicious brown eyes of Potkin eyeing her wearily. Apparently Luke did as well, because he turned just a moment before the Jedi walked off.

"So, Luke?" Leia asked as they proceeded closer to the edge of the platform.

"Yeah, Lay?" He replied while glancing about at the myriad of people surrounding them, trying to find the three that he knew attacked Bail Organa. He was among the best Force-trackers in the Order, but that didn't mean he was infallible.

Despite his being distracted, Leia continued with her musings, "So I was thinking-"

"-Did it hurt?" Luke couldn't resist. He turned to his sister with a coy smile, which grew wider when she frowned at him, hands on her hips and all. He smiled at her coyly and inquired "What were you thinking?"

"We need to really have an in depth look at our situation here..." She told him haughtily, "We're flat broke!" Luke rolled his eyes and chuckled, wrapping an arm around his sister as he did this. She was starting to shiver again, which had him worried.

"So, we need to find an ethical means of acquiring credits then."

His sister nodded, sidestepping a wide Twil'ek that was making a statement before a HoloNews cam like a dramatic soap opera star. She glanced at him a moment, certain she knew him, but shrugged off the idea as irrelevant. Even as the reporter inquired, "Senator Oni Free Ta, were you the one who found Senator Organa in such a state?"

Leia rolled her eyes, and moved onward with her thoughts, "I was also thinking that it would probably be best not to use our names here. I mean, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa might draw some unwanted attention: especially since those are high profile last names in this era..." Luke nodded as they made another turn to the right, dodging few droids with a camera crew.

"I think avoiding our first names wouldn't hurt too." Luke added, "Especially since we might influence our parents' choices in our names, if we get unlucky enough to run into them, and I rather like mine.'" Leia looked up at him and chuckled.

"You can be a real dweeb sometimes." She pointed out with a grin. When he looked down at her with raised brows, Leia merely shrugged, "My god's given right as your sister." To that he laughed along with her.

Leia enjoyed moments like these. In some ways, it seemed very natural to be Luke's sister, and in others it was a very strange experience. Especially in being raised as an only child. When their walls came down and they behaved as they imagined they should have, the world got a bit lighter. The missing years started to fill in and they found they had less regrets about their lives.

But, for all the normal being raised as a moisture farmer had instilled in him, Luke was still someone unique. It was as if he'd peeked beyond the curtain and understood the universe a little better than most people. And that knowledge made him very strange to be around sometimes. Even in moments when they laughed with one another, like now.

But after a time, Leia grew glum. So glum that Luke noticed it in their extraordinary bond. Other Force-sensitives were aghast with how interlocked they were in spirit, as though one completed the other in some strange way. Most other Force-masters, like Queen Julia, had never met two twins so tied to one another. When they learned Luke and Leia grew up apart, that only perplexed them more. Queen Julia even joked that it made sense that the twins had mistaken this bond for attraction, as attraction did have as powerful a pull. But their bond drew lines attraction did not, and opened doors that the latter couldn't as well.

"What's the matter?" he inquired gently, bringing her closer to him with his arm as he hailed a cab with his mechanical one.

Leia sighed, "I highly doubt our father had anything to do with naming us."

Drawing in a deep sigh, Luke rubbed at Leia's shoulder, trying to help her through that darkness that filled her when she thought of their father. At his worst, Vader had tortured Leia relentlessly: physically, mentally and emotionally. She still had many difficulties getting past that, despite the fact that she acknowledged he was once a good man. Once upon a time, before Palpatine got his claws in him. She insisted to her brother that the real evil was Palpatine the puppeteer, and that was how she'd continue to view it. Though, most times she didn't follow through.

"Leia." Luke said as they progressed further down the lane to catch a cab that wasn't already claimed by nosy bystanders, "The other masters and I were talking... You've progressed well in your training and are actually ready to face your trial." Leia considered this a while before a wide smile grew upon her face.

"Is this why you were so eager to give me Luci Tano as a Padawan?" She suggested wryly. Luke chuckled at the prospect and nodded.

"Yes." He replied, "But that wasn't the only thing I had to tell you. You see, we'd meditated for hours on what your trial was likely to be... and it wont be easy." Leia chuckled at him, rolling her eyes as she did.

"I thought they weren't supposed to be easy." She decreed, "Ergo the title trial."

Luke nodded and smiled, "My trial was to face father. To confront him and his darkness. To resist the temptation of following in his footsteps. Only then could I become a Jedi." Leia took his flesh hand in hers and turned her eyes up to him in sympathy. She remembered that night well, the one in which he'd revealed their identities as brother and sister and then disappeared to save their father from the darkness.

"And you succeeded." She reminded him. "You did more for him than he ever did for us in that single moment. You redeemed him." Luke smiled at her, his blue eyes still haunted by the experience.

"I'd learned then that resisting the darkness was an eternal battle." He told her, "One linked to all of us, but that I am most susceptible because of our father. The temptation to hate him was there. Easy to access even. And for you..." he paused a moment to choose his words carefully, "It's pungent."

Leia nodded, her face falling into a frown, "I've never denied that." She admitted.

"Which is why it is your trial." Luke told her gently, "Your task is quite simple. You have to accept our father for all that he is. Accept the fact that you come from him as I have." Leia was silent a moment as she contemplated this, chewing on the side of her lip as her brain moved from thought to thought. After a time, her rich brown eyes darted up to her brother's icy blue ones.

"Simple, but not easy." Leia noted with a hint of disdain. Lord Vader was not a favorite topic of hers by any means. But she understood why this was her task. For her to shine as bright as Luke, she would have to accept all of herself, even her father's blood.

"What is?" Luke asked with a slight smirk, pouring his encouragement into the meld, "But... I mention this now because we are presented with an extraordinary opportunity here." Leia glanced at him a moment before rolling her eyes.

"You want me to get to know Vader..." she realized, "Even though it risks both of our identities once he turns?" Luke nodded.

"I think learning who he is from a distance should suffice, if we are fortunate enough to keep such space." He told her earnestly, "But I think that this chance in the past will allow you to reach your true potential, to experience what it means to be a Skywalker. To allow you to own our name as I have. Identity can be everything in the Force. And nothing, for that matter." For a while, Leia said nothing, her spirits sunk and her eyes set straight ahead. So Luke added gently, "I would have told you in our time, but-"

"-But we had to get attacked again." Leia added with a smile.

Luke rolled his eyes time, "You say that like its normal for us." Leia just stared at him.

"I'm not even dignifying that comment with a reply. It's like the law of being a Skywalker, or something, to find trouble." She told him, bringing a wider smile to his face as they rounded another corner. The area soon transformed into the uptown shopping district, laden with fashion, food and entertainment of a civilized sort. But still, despite this, no taxi would dare venture to the twins and pass up the fat purse of the person beside the them.

_What would it have been like to grow up here with mom and dad?_ She wondered internally. Luke shrugged, having heard her thoughts again.

"Coruscanti-Jedi weren't supposed to have families." Luke replied, "If father were a Corelian or Altisian-Jedi, that would have been something else." Leia sighed. _Sometimes I want my mind all to myself again..._ Luke smiled.

_You and me both._

They were silent a while as they stared at the old Coruscanti Senate yard, aware of each other's presence, and yet basking in the silence of their minds. After a time, Luke asked. _What should we do first then?_ Leia turned to him, her eyes confused,_ They've already attacked your father. We need to plant our feet and hold the line against them now._

_But convincing them we're from the future seems pretty well impossible_. Leia realized as she muddled this over. There were so many things to factor in. So many possibilities of something going wrong. Too many things they were now accountable for.

_We need to construct our aliases. Real ones._ Leia finally decided, _We can't just change our names and expect people to buy that. We need backgrounds. Medical information. Ways to cover for one another if we get hurt. Friends._

Luke sighed as he heard that. _Well, good thing we are already going to the hospital. _

With wide smiles, despite fierce shivers, Luke and Leia finally found the way to another level. The already lively cityscape of Coruscant soon changed to the more fierce traffic of the upper-middle class levels. Aircars sped by, speeders beside them as the wild traffic bounded across the sky. Above them was the stone colored temple, orange from the now setting sun. And higher still, the Senate hall, long before it was remodeled and renovated. It was a sight to behold, even as outdated models of speeders and droids raced on by. Luke and Leia could only glance on, their jaws dropped wide.

"Wow." Luke said first, his sister echoing him shortly after. "What a view!"

Leia turned to him with brown eyes wide and smiled wider, "Imagine what we could learn while we are here... Jacen." Luke smiled as she said that.

"Jacen?" He asked. His sister nodded, "That is the name I should go by? And what of you?"

"Jaina." She told him, "After Han's mother. Han and I have been talking about starting a family, these names were at the top of our lists." Luke chuckled a moment as he echoed the names, liking both of them instantly.

But then, in his brotherly way, he had to add, "You know, you skipped a letter." To that Leia busted out laughing.

"I said the same thing when I realized it!" She proclaimed and then added, "Well... I picked our first names, so you need to pick the last name."

Luke lowered his face and raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, "Oh, do I now?" Without a word to reply, Leia jumped off the scaffolding that they stood upon and landed safely, thanks to the Force, on the next level below. Her brother followed soon after. For them to find any help, they knew they had to be on the level that they appeared to belong to. Many of their comrades had always said they dressed a little too informal for their actual status. But Leia would sooner die a martyr than portray herself as better than anyone else while out of the senate and Luke grew up a peasant. It was a hard adjustment to ask of either of them.

Now in nearing some of the middle-class levels, they knew they would be able to find some hospitality. They understood that the more of the sun you saw on Coruscant, the more money you had.

"Why me anyways?" Luke suddenly prodded, realizing he was not the best choice for name choosing. "Or is this just some sisterly ploy for revenge regarding the thinking comment? And are we sharing a name? Or do you get your own?" Leia chuckled at how flustered he was getting.

"I think we should share." She told him with a grin, "I mean, we never actually have shared our last name anyways." Luke let out a sigh of relief... at least his work was halved now.

"Perhaps not..." he realized as they stood before some diner belonging to a large Besalisk male by the name of Dex. The energetic, four armed, amphibian looking man stood outside his shop with a cigar in hand, chatting it up with some dangerous looking adventurer. "You were hidden the most so that you could be our last line of defense if I fell to the dark side or died."

Leia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Than my identity needs to be someone clearly not related to you. Plain and simple." Luke sighed, rolled his eyes and hailed a taxi that was speeding nearby.

Even as the speeder landed, Luke found himself distraught at the job before him. He could invent tactical plans for any situation, master any Force task presented to him, but creating cover names was another story. What was worse is he as also locked into the debate about how he was going to pay for this ride with New Republic Credits... "Cripes, sis, I'm no good at this."

Leia chuckled as she got inside. "Just pick one you know no one would recognize... not even Palpatine himself." Luke scooted in next to her as he deliberated, but there were few names he could think of that would suffice. As he considered options, the Trandoshan Cab driver turned to them and hissed for directions.

"The hospital please." Leia attempted, her eyes falling onto the walls of the temple while her brother was distracted. She half expected a plethora of Jedi to come raining down on them, but they hadn't yet so she was counting her blessings.

"Darklighter." Luke decided. When Leia glanced at him, she saw that he was determined with this choice. "Darklighter is the best choice."

Leia smiled when she heard this, going so far as to kiss her brother's cheek, an action she reserved for his moments of brilliance. "So we are Jacen and Jaina Darklighter." To that, Luke smiled back. It had been quite a while since he'd heard his best friend's last name. Not since he'd sold his farm to Bigg's family after the Galactic Civil War.

Their Trandoshan driver clearly had not been listening, for as they turned down the lane towards the Upper Senatoral-General Hospital, he inquired, "So, you two married?"

Glancing over at Leia, Luke thought about that and shuddered a bit. _Well, I'd clearly not be related to you with that cover_. Leia pointed out.

Luke shrugged as he considered that, _Yeah, but... it is an awkward thought, posing as a married couple._

_Oh whatever! You were drooling over me when we first met anyways,_ Leia chided him, _And remind me, what percentage of your Rogues thought we were together during the Civil War again? I think we can pull this off by being ourselves._ "Newlyweds." He finally replied, to which his sister raised her eyebrows to.

"Really?" The gray, lizard-like creature inquired, "Here on business or honeymoon?"

"Both." Leia replied with a grin. The driver nodded, whistling even, which impressed the 'couple'. The lizard creatures were known more for their clacking jaws and hisses, yet this man seemed able to articulate around his hissing tongue fairly easily.

"Must be exciting!" He replied, "Are you two staying on Corusant long?" The two of them glanced at one another again.

"Actually," Luke replied, recognizing an opening when he saw one, "We sort-of had some banking troubles, so we can't leave till they're resolved." The Trandoshan lifted his brows.

"You able to pay for this ride?" When Luke turned away, he got his answer, "I see..."

Leia glanced down at the news reel in the cab, was struck with an epiphany, and leaned forward, "It's only supposed to be temporary. The news said that Padme Amidala is working with the Banking Clan for our credit as a republic right now, which might be why. So if you give us your car number, we can send you our payment once we can. You can even IOU us or something." The Trandoshan looked at the two of them in his rear view mirror as he pulled into the parking garage.

"Normally I'd just call the cops and cuff your arses." He told them, his yellow eyes very intent on the two of them. He waited a bit long, however, in making up his mind, as Luke was swift as ever to let his eyes close slightly, forcing his good intentions and his will on the lizard man. He was victim to the mind-trick long before he was aware something seemed off in his head. "But there is something about you two I trust, so... sure."

Ever the politician, Leia gleefully replied to him, "Than you Mr.-"

"-Talkus." he filled in for her, "Magmus Talkus." Magmus reached for his card and passed it back to Leia before getting his own datapad out. "I'll need your names and contact for the IOU." Leia smiled before turning to her brother.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jacen Darklighter." She told him with a smirk, amazed as to how their luck was turning out to be... for now, anyways.

* * *

**Author's Note: In writing this story, I was trying to consider how Luke and Leia would interact with their new environment, or, rather, how they would hide in it. They way I figured, these are two really fricken' smart people. They have been through a lot, and so their worldly knowledge would be extraordinary. They would think of emergency situations, how to best hide who they were, and (especially with Luke) how to keep Leia's lineage as secret as possible since she was the last hope of the galaxy. Them pretending to be married seemed the most logical approach, but it took me a long time to get there, I played with a lot of other scenarios first. Frankly, with all the awkwardness, this seemed the most fun. And... it was an especially humorous call when you consider that their mother and father are pretending NOT to be married. **

**For those of you who were all WHAT! when you read that, I hope this doesn't turn the story on you.**

**Please, let me know what you think of this chapter in your review. I value all feedback!**


	9. Chapter 9: Light and Light

**********Author's note: I'VE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF READERS MIGHT HAVE MISSED CHAPTER 6. IF YOU MISSED MEETING MARA JADE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU GO BACK! I POSTED TWO CHAPTERS THAT DAY, SO IT IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE SOME OF YOU MISSED IT.**

**********Sorry about the delay in posting. I've been busy and sick and it's just been FUN lately to have all that on my plate. Having said that, I did want to let you all know that I will have to start posting about once a week. Sadly, we do not have a 36 hour day and I've been running out of time to work on any of my stories. Speaking of which, I did post a crossover (which is not star wars related) if anyone is interested in another family drama I'm working on.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews! I was a bit worried that I was taking too big a risk with Luke and Leia's aliases. I confess I was biting my nails until I saw some reader approval. Just to keep you all informed, Luke and Leia will retain their identities as brother and sister. I have no intention of crossing any taboo boundaries with this story. I tried to make that clear by introducing their significant others before they traveled to the past, but I did want the air cleared.**

******__****Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**

* * *

The bumpy ride down the mountain, being chased by blaster fire, fighting. He was good at those things. He excelled at them, in fact.

Sitting in the cockpit of a ship with a guy he wanted to rip to pieces, but could not. Different story. A very different story, in fact.

And Padme, she must have known how much he was struggling with this. Her eyes would not leave the two of them for a second, and despite desperately wanting to use the refresher, she would not stand from her seat. It was as though she expected another war to erupt in the cockpit.

"So," Rush attempted to be cordial and break the silence, "General Skywalker, is it?" Anakin nodded, not saying a word as he busied himself with a slight repair to his thumb. He'd landed on it funny at some point in the chase, and it was starting to make a weird click when he moved it. He repaired it with the Force, working on the fine motors of it carefully. Adjusting small gears so they interlocked once more. Chances are something needed replacement. Again.

"Yes." He replied, looking up with steely gray-blue eyes.

Clovis, however, wasn't taken aback by him. Rather, Anakin's brazen speech and foul mood seemed to intrigue him. "And, on Cato Nemoido, you were also General Skywalker? Not commander? Not anything else?" Anakin nodded, his predator-like gaze never failing a moment. But Clovis, he wanted to know something. That was made very apparent. "And yet, despite everything that you stand for as a Jedi... you still left me there? Helpless?" Anakin said nothing, his brow lowering as his frown became near permanent.

Padme watched this interaction in confusion, her heart practically being torn in two. She knew both men had enlarged egos, it was something she seemed to be drawn to, but this was insane! It seemed that they were hashing something out, something she wasn't entirely apprised of. "What do you mean helpless?" She glanced from one to the other and then back again. Both men remained silent, a steely gaze boring into a forest one.

Her eyes fell on Anakin's next, noting that his expression had shifted from angry to angrier. She knew that look. Clovis had said something candid, and Anakin did not want it brought to her attention. "General Skywalker? What is this man referring to?" _I hate being formal with him, _she realized with an internal grimace,_ But I need answers to understand this mess._

Still, Anakin did not say a word. He continued to stare at Clovis with more malice in his eyes. "General Skywalker?" she pressed. But rather than answer her question, he stood up and walked away. Artoo followed him faithfully, whistling something in binary as he did.

"Whatever." Anakin replied to the droid as though he were half his age.

In watching him behave so poorly, Padme felt betrayed. Was this really the man she fell in love with? She stared at her hands in deliberation when Clovis's suddenly appeared around them.

"He... left me there." Clovis admitted gently, seeing how much this pained her, "To die... I helped you both escape when you were poisoned, and... as soon as you two were free and clear, I asked for him to return the data you stole. He didn't." Padme sighed. In many ways, she could and could not justify Anakin's actions. She could justify that they were for the republic, but she knew it was his personal issues that made him behave in such a way. His personal issues with possessiveness most specifically.

"We needed that data for the republic." Padme told him, "So I understand why... but..."

"He is a Jedi!" Clovis reminded her, standing up as his outrage grew with the topic, "A Jedi is supposed to protect people! Even me!"

Padme sighed, trying her best to think of the most logical excuse she could, "And he does... he's just very protective of his friends. That data was very important to Palpatine, who is like a mentor to him." Clovis's eyes went wide.

"You mean that..." he paused and turned towards the door Anakin just left through, "_He's_ friends with the Chancellor?" Padme nodded.

"And there is little he wouldn't do to help him." She told him, though she wondered,_ Why am I making excuses for him?!_. She was seeing a darker side to Anakin, one she'd never witnessed before. And it was frightening her.

* * *

The hospital was teeming with reporters, all who wanted the goods on what befell the beloved Senator Bail Organa. If Leia hadn't been practicing political tact since she was small, she might have had a conniption. Her Jedi training helped as well.

Holding Luke's artificial hand to make their new identities seem plausible, and for support since it had been nearly ten years since she'd last seen her adoptive father, they strolled up to the reception desk, where a young lady sat, her lekku pulled behind her in intricate wraps. She was a Twil'ek, and likely a former slave based on some of the tattoos peeking out from under her hospital garb. "Can I help you?" She asked kindly, her eyes falling instantly on Luke in appraisal.

Luke gestured over towards his sister, "She hasn't been feeling too well... me either for that matter. We just came from the Outer-Rim and are concerned we've come across a bug. Any chance a doctor can have a look?" The Twi'lek, Nana was her name, smiled and nodded, passing them both data-pads to input their information. Thanking her with smiles and nods, the twins moved across the room to the waiting area, where a mass of reporters were being herded by large nurses and assistants to keep the hospital functional.

To prevent herself from fretting over her beloved father, Leia focused very carefully on the hospital registry. They'd known to come here first and foremost because every republic hospital was required to treat whomever walked in the door and keep a record of them. Even though the identities they constructed here were not 'official,' they could serve as temporary validation should any legal issues arise. The rebels had used this backdoor many times before the empire had caught wind of it.

_Family Name:_ she thought to herself, muddling over what Luke had said near the Senate building, _I should write Skywalker. I should fully commit myself to my actual identity, but here... how many red flags would that put up._

Luke smiled, _Only like three thousand, especially since we have so many reporters in the room with us. Darklighter will do just fine._ Leia nodded and keyed the name in.

_Given Name:_ Leia wondered,_ I wonder who gave me my name... Bail? Breha? Vader or...?_

She turned to Luke, her eyes saddened, _How are we supposed to protect our mother when we don't even know who she is?_ Luke shrugged as he muddled that over in his head as well.

_You said you remembered her._ He pointed out, referring to their heart-to-heart on Endor and their encounter with Potkin not an hour before.

Leia sighed, _I remembered feelings about her... that isn't quite the same._ Luke frowned in hearing his sister doubt herself ,as usual. Wrapping a supportive arm around her, he kissed her forehead to cover his glancing about, cringing at the prospect of having to feign being in love.

He wanted a general understanding of who they were dealing with here. The room was crawling with various individuals, some seedy, some earnest. Chances are that the creepy old hag from the temple was smart and hired someone to do her work for her. He needed to survey all intentions in the room, just in case. So, not sensing any Jedi in the room, he stretched his senses out, looking for the bad... and the good too.

_In the Force, feelings are more than most anything._ Luke pointed out gently, _Which is all the more reason you should follow father if needbe. I have none of these connections, and we are years from being born._ Leia sighed at the thought, saddened at the way fate was forcing her away from the life she'd loved so much to pursue a nightmare.

But she was the daughter of a monster. And she had to accept that.

_How do you do it?_ She wondered as she keyed in her new first name. _How do you go on living knowing that our father had done such horrible things? That he... hurt us so willingly to meet his ends?_ Luke shrugged a moment, deliberating this carefully. He sensed his sister's sincerity.

_I don't._ He admitted, _I don't view the monster as our father. Not as his whole. He was very complex and I try and learn from his complexity..._He too keyed in his new given name, _I could have easily become that monster, you know. He's no different from me._

_But he is Luke!_ Leia suddenly inserted, glancing over her date of birth and trying to sort that out using the Chronometer on the news. _You embraced the light and he didn't. Not until the very end anyways..._

_I wasn't as desperate as he._ Luke reminded her, suddenly forlorn, _In our last fight, he was so desperate to convert me and I merely viewed his salvation as a worthy goal, but not a must. I suppose... that is what makes me feel so guilty about it. About cutting off his arm. About going ballistic when he threatened you._ Leia sighed and sat back, amazed at just how easily Luke could twist blame on himself.

_If you go around carrying the burdens of others so much,_ She told him sagely, _you too will become as desperate at the wrong time. What you did was natural, logical... human._

_And who's to say what dragged him down wasn't natural, logical and human?_ Luke challenged her as he keyed 10.5.24 BRS under his date of birth, thus making himself around 28 in this era. He already figured when he was based on the HoloNews. He'd read everything he could about the Clone Wars during the Galactic Civil War. Not that there was much. But the first months of the Battle of Drongar were being covered on the holonews above the reception desk so he knew whenabouts he was.

"Is that right?" Leia asked as she glanced over his information and keyed the like in her own. _If you put that date in... then I'll be born the day before._ She mused internally as Luke rolled his eyes with a shrug. Subtly, he moved his own birth date up two days. Of course, he wasn't subtle enough. Leia could sense his intentions as soon as he'd decided upon them. So... naturally she moved her birth date up two more days. _Don't even think about it... _She warned her brother, finding nothing but humor in this situation, _We both know I'm the oldest._

Luke snorted in hearing that and moved his entire birth date up a year, _As if... I'm far more mature._

Leia had to fight busting out laughing at that comment, _As if... you're only slightly more polished than Han. _Their game went on a few more minutes, each one trying to best the other in number of years, with slight giggles and laughs, until they finally decided to enter in the same birth date. With all the people in the galaxy, they would likely not be the first 'couple' born on the same day.

As they keyed that in, the reporters around them began to hustle out of the room.

"The Chancellor is here!" One of them hissed to another as they ran by. "We've got to hurry before we are lost in the crowd!" Luke and Leia glanced at one another, unsure if they should dare follow at first.

"No." Luke decided before Leia could ask her question. _Let's get our aliases up and running before we get any other ideas._ Leia sighed and continued to add in her information.

_It would be too tempting to shoot him anyways._ She added as she keyed in another detail-her blood type. Luke snorted at her thought, agreeing wholeheartedly, despite being a Jedi Master. "O negative?" Luke inquired as he glanced over her screen, "How weird?"

Leia glanced up at him, "You too?" He nodded and keyed his own information in. "With all we have in common, I'm amazed we're fraternal half the time." She added as she continued to describe previous medical issues and the like. Luke only snorted.

Eventually, they completed their papers and submitted it in to the desk, where the Twi'lek receptionist gladly took them. Her smile towards Luke was a little more sincere than Leia expected, but they'd learned long ago that there was something about them that drew others to them. A thread of fate as it were. This nurse would likely reappear in need of help. Most usually did.

While they awaited their papers to process, Luke and Leia rested themselves against the backs of their chairs, leaning on one another, trying to catch up on sleep they needed ever so much.

Sleep wasn't to come this time, however, as Nana the Twi'lek soon stood before them, "Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter?" She asked tentatively. Slowly, Luke opened a blue eye. Nana seemed so unsure of herself, he actually felt bad for her. _Servitude must have done a number on her._

"Yes?" Luke asked carefully, noticing that Leia was actually listening despite her eyes being closed.

Nana gulped, unsure of what to do under Luke's intense, icy blue stare. "Well, you forgot to mention if... as spouses... you were able to access each others medical files. Though most standard systems simply allow this for spouses, we have to verify it on Coruscant." Luke smiled as he heard this, figuring it was a good thing the girl was so attentive.

"Thank you." Luke replied, "We would have had problems had you not old us about it." In hearing his kindness, Nana flushed and smiled, passing the datapads back to them. Leia yawned and sat up to make the correction. _Good thing she caught this,_ Leia noted in their bond,_ What good is pretending to be married if we can't control each others medical crap._ Luke nodded and chuckled.

* * *

About an hour later, Luke stepped out of his room. "Is there a way we can make a private call?" Luke inquired of Nana as she passed by for the fifteenth time. Apparently his status as married in this era didn't seem to drive her off. Which stunned him, truthfully. She nodded and smirked as she walked down the way.

"There is a small booth in the corner on this floor." She pointed behind him before ducking into another room. Luke thanked her and promptly spun around to follow the next portion of their thrown together plan. Their physicals were going pretty well, save for Leia's apparently anemic state, and they should be out within the hour. But he still lacked money to pay for this venture and had no connections to get him into Bail's room. Yet.

And Leia was so desperate to see her beloved father, he wasn't sure he could hold her off much longer.

Fortunately, an old sage of his time was a young queen here. And she was Force-sensitive, which meant she would know his noble intentions on sight. Having found the small, glass booth, he hopped straight in and closed the tiny door over it. It took no time to place the call, and he was relieved it wasn't a public holo, or else he'd have to find money. And he deplored stealing.

"Queen Julia of Bardotta, please." He asked of the duck-like, Bardottan official who answered him. The man was fairly short and somewhat stout, with his snoot twitching while he thought.

"From whom might I direct this call?" The official inquired. Luke had to stop and think about that. His alias would get him nowhere, but was it worth the risk to reveal his true name to the sage?

"General Skywalker." Luke decided. The Bardottan actually looked at him again, likely scrutinizing his features, but that didn't worry Luke. He'd seen what his father looked like as a young man and knew he'd be able to fool a few people... so long as they didn't know him personally.

"Very well." The official allowed before his picture faded away. It didn't take very long before proud Queen Julia appeared on the screen, seated elegantly on her throne as Luke had recalled from when he'd first met her in the future. It had been a month after his father had passed and he wanted to learn how to walk in the light from her. Leia, desperate to keep from following their father as well, had come along to assist him.

"General Skywalker?" She greeted him, her light voice fizzing a bit in the transmission, "How might I help you?" Luke sighed, he was fooling a lot of people today.

"A private audience would be an excellent start, your majesty." Luke bowed and noted that Julia had nodded her head about the room to clear it. A moment later, she welcomed him to proceed.

"Well," Luke began carefully, "To start, I am... not General Skywalker." Julia turned her head towards him in a strange angle, likely pondering his meaning. "But I am in need of your help."

"Normally," Julia chided him, "I would consider this affront a major offense, but I can sense your earnestness. What can I do to help you?" Luke smiled at her, relieved she was as he remembered her. Julia was perhaps the second most curious creature he'd ever met, following Master Yoda narrowly.

"My spouse and I are currently shadowing two important officials in the galaxy." He told her truthfully, sending her his good will carefully through the Force. It wasn't easy considering the distance, and the fact he didn't want Palpatine to detect him, but he managed, "We have foreseen that they will be responsible for great changes in the galaxy. Their survival is imperative. But we haven't the resources nor the connections to get close enough to appropriately guard them. Perhaps you might offer us some aid?" Julia closed her eyes and sighed.

"I..." even at this distance, with his presence still on Bardotta with her, he could sense her access the Force to fact check him. Some of his best techniques were originally hers. "I sense something about you... General Skywalker."

"But I am not-"

"Not Anakin Skywalker." She chuckled at him, "Of that I know. I knew that when you first appeared on screen, as I have met the General once while visiting Coruscant. But you are General Skywalker, none-the-less. The Force has assured me of that." She paused gently, "Tell me, what is your given name, General Skywalker?" Luke sighed.

"Luke, Queen Julia." He replied, trying not to smile at what he should have expected, "And you are most wise."

Julia smiled, "Luke... what a fitting name. You do know what it means, do you not?" Luke smiled.

"Light." He told her, having been informed of this by her in his own time.

Julia leaned forward, bringing her hands under her chin as she did, her eyes wide and eager to engage in this conversation. "I sense your presence here. You are far more powerful than your relative is at this point. Outstandingly so. And so much brighter too. But your presence is so like Anakin Skywalker, I have to wonder how you are related to the man." Luke shrugged.

"I doubt I should reveal this, but... Anakin Skywalker is my father... And a genius..." He told Julia earnestly, who sat back with her eyes wide in surprise, "It's hard to be brighter than that, your majesty." Julia swatted a hand at him.

"Well I don't know about your intelligence," she chuckled at him, "I meant your Force-presence. You are as bright as a star." Luke jumped in his seat, suddenly very worried that Palpatine had sensed him, "We all felt you enter this time-line. You and your... not spouse... sister." Luke nodded.

"Leia."

Julia smiled once more, "It seems our dear General Skywalker named you both well. Light and Light Skywalker. Lovely." She paused a moment before adding, "When you both appeared, it was like having a star set down right in front of me. It burned at my darkest spots and elated me as well. Such power is unheard of in this time... and you say that you are here to protect two officials? They must be terribly important. Who, might I ask?" Luke swallowed, completely surprised and baffled by this conversation.

"Jedi-Knight Anakin Skywalker is the first."

Julia frowned, "Someone intends to assassinate your father?"

Luke shook his head, "Not him. My mother."

"Then why not request to protect her, General?" Luke turned away from the question, answering for Julia wordlessly, "I see. You do not know her." He nodded. Julia allowed for a time of silence, sensing the man's pain in the Force.

"Well." She began as she sat back in her chair, crossing her legs over at the ankles, "I'm not sure I have connections enough to the Jedi to assist you in reuniting with your father... but I will see what I can do on my end."

Luke nodded, "As much as we appreciate this gesture, being so close to our father could cause... complications." Julia eyed him in confusion, "With the time-line so easily tampered with, we do not want our parents to view us as anything more than faces in the crowd." With a smile, Julia nodded.

"Then you truly are as bright as your father."

"Thank you, Queen Julia." Luke replied, bowing once more, "Living in his shadow has been a true test of endurance." Julia chuckled, understanding that feeling.

"Well, if you must be in the background..."

* * *

Bail Organa awoke slowly at the gentle prodding of his close friend Mon Mothma. He'd been asleep nearly an hour while the nurses surveyed his injuries, and was grateful for that. Any more time awake would have been murder to him. "Mon?" He asked carefully, not recognizing his voice, "What happened?"

Mon turned her eyes away and sighed, "Someone tried to kill you." She told him as her eyes fell to her hands, "Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Shadday Potkin are currently investigating this." Bail attempted to nod, but the mask over his face stopped him entirely. It was large and breathing for him, which was irritating, as his throat burned something fierce from whatever toxins were injected into his office.

"Do they have any leads yet?" He inquired gently. Mon shook her head, her eyes still on her hands as she listened to his mechanized breathing.

Only the hiss of the door opening broke the punctuated silence, and they turned to find a cloaked man standing in the doorway. He was flanked by troopers dressed in dark blue armor, of whom stayed out in the hall as the figure moseyed into the room. "Senator Organa..." came the tired yet familiar voice of the Chancellor, "How are you feeling?"

Bail sighed, "Like someone tried to kill me." His attempt at humor did not go unnoticed, and Palpatine chuckled slightly. He kept his cloak up, however, as though hiding something. "What about you, Chancellor? Is all well with you? You seem..." _what is a good word for this, "_Shaken."

Palpatine nodded and carefully reached up with singed hands towards his hood to reveal his own pains. Both Senators were astounded by what they saw, as most of his face was marred by red and burns. "The doctors believe that your injuries were meant for me." He admitted sadly, "Which is strange, considering that our offices are not in proximity with one another. So I am thinking it is something else."He suddenly started coughing, as though his lungs were also greatly damaged. "They've given me some bacta treatments, and say I should be good as new in a few days, but... I'm more worried about you." His eyes fell on the sad sight of Organa once more, "You are one of my strongest negotiators, I can't help but worry that my reliance on you has-"

"-Don't finish that thought, my friend." Bail interrupted him, "I proudly serve. If I have become a target of some fiend, it is by my own doing." His voice was so strange to him, he couldn't wait to be free of this damned machine. But his words seemed to give Palpatine some solace.

That is, until the door opened once more, "Senator Organa?" came the youthful voice of a young blonde man in the doorway. All three of them turned to spot a curious couple standing in the doorway. Their clothes were most casual, but their faces indicated business was on their minds.

"Yes?" he asked, making the short woman beside the man jump a bit. Her face actually seemed to cringe at the sight of him, "How can I help you?"

The man stepped forward, his blonde hair falling into his eyes as he moved. He bowed slightly to them, namely Palpatine, but Bail could have sworn his jaw was tense as he did this. "My name is Jacen Darklighter. I am an honorary member of the Bardottan Clan under her majesty, Queen Julia." He looked up towards Palpatine, his face showing no emotion, but his eyes attempted to hide something large in his heart.

"Queen Julia?" Palpatine inquired, surprised. He wheezed a moment before adding, "Her's is a neutral system, why would she send an emissary here? And now?" Luke glanced at Palpatine a moment, but had to look away for fear of how he'd be angered at the sight of him. As far as he was concerned, this man killed his father twice. First his spirit in this era, and secondly his body in Luke's. It actually made him smile to see the man so marred.

"She and her sages have recently foreseen the significance of Senator Organa." Luke admitted, choosing his words around the Sith Master carefully. If Julia could see through him so easily, he was terrified of what Palpatine could do. "He will bring about a great change in the galaxy, one for the betterment of all. It is their theory that a rival clan intends to eliminate him because of this."

Mon stepped forward, clasping her hands together as she processed this. Her eyes, however, were on the stricken woman beside Darklighter. With brown eyes wide and skin pail, the woman appeared as a frozen porcelain doll. She seemed absolutely horrified at the state of Bail, his body mangled, his eyes swollen and red, his body surviving on a breathing machine that completely altered his voice. _He must look like a monster to her._ She realized.

"And she has sent you to warn us?" She asked gently, bringing Darklighter's eyes to her.

He shook his head, "No, Senator Mothma, she has not." He then turned his eyes back to Bail, "We are to guard Senator Organa for the next two cycles, until their determined deadline has passed." he then bowed once more, "With your permission, of course."

The three officials were silent as Darklighter and the woman beside him remained poised for their response. Palpatine, most of all, seemed confused by the sight of them. But, eventually, Bail came to a decision, "I welcome you gladly into my security detail, Mr. Darklighter."

To that Darklighter rose and smiled, "Thank you, Senator Organa. It is a privilege to be working with one so esteemed." Palpatine took a step forward, hesitation in his eyes, as he stretched a hand out.

"I thank you for your sacrifice, my boy." he said with what appeared to be the utmost sincerity, "Bail is one of my best negotiators and is by far a great credit to the republic. It relieves me that he will be guarded by someone trusted so well by wise Queen Julia." Darklighter smiled, but it appeared forced, as though being stoic was his default. Palpatine noticed as well that Darklighter would not reach for his hand, as was customary. _Who are you boy?_ He wondered in his darkest thoughts. But even the shadows of the darkside hidden there could not conjure his identity.

But, as though to counter Palpatine's suspicions, Darklighter bowed once more, "It is an honor to meet you Chancellor. Shall I also reserve time to aid you? You appear to have also been attacked." _His manners, his movements... why are they so familiar to me?_ Palpatine wondered as he forced a smile on his face, _He reminds me greatly of... Skywalker, in some ways. But that is ridiculous, of course._

Palpatine waved him off, "I have far more resources at my disposal as Chancellor than does Senator Organa at the moment. Do not concern yourself with me." Darklighter nodded, still stoic. _Still like Skywalker when he's putting up a front... Interesting._

Mon then motioned towards the still horrified woman in the doorway. She seemed near tears. "And you are, my dear?" She couldn't help but try to be nice to the shaken lady, who was startled by the sudden attention she was receiving.

"Jaina Darklighter, m'lady." She replied, also bowing much as Jacen had.

Jacen turned his body to include Jaina in the conversation, "She is my wife." Palpatine eyed the woman closely for a moment, finding himself chuckling internally. _He really does remind me of Skywalker. Same taste in women too._ He then thought darkly to himself, _That bright light in the Force must have knocked my senses more than I'd have liked if this is the extent to which I can divine another presence. I must rest soon._

"Will she also be guarding Bail then?" Mon wondered with a raised red brow.

Jaina nodded, "Her majesty, Queen Julia, feels that both my husband and I will deter any assassination attempts. We were in the area when you were attacked, and believe we know the assailants that attacked you. They have no name, but are most dangerous." Her eyes again fell on Bail, _but at least her sadness makes sense now,_ Mon decided with an understanding smile,_ I would be worried for my husband as well if this was the sight I'd walked into._

"If you will excuse us then." Jacen nodded to them, "It appears our presence has tired you, senator." They all nodded to him.

"Yes, yes. I agree." Palpatine added, turning to Mothma, "I think it is wise for Bail to rest. Perhaps we should all go."

Bail smiled weakly, something no one could see through his mask, "Thank you, Chancellor."

Jacen and Jaina were first to depart, bowing respectfully as they stepped into the hall. They were gone as quickly as they'd appeared, leaving Palpatine to speculate about them later.

"Well, I'm not sure how much help this Darklighter will be," Palpatine noted as he turned back towards Bail, "But it is reassuring to know that even neutral systems seek to protect you. Surely this plot will be exposed quickly and we can resume daily life once more." He rested a trembling hand on Bail's and patted it in a grandfatherly sort of way. "I will leave you to rest now. Keep me apprised of your progress on all fronts, my friend."

"Will do." Bail called through his voice modifier, "Thank you again, Chancellor."

Palpatine then turned to Mon and voiced his goodbye, wanting to be free of this antiseptic hellhole. He hated the sick and the dying and being in a hospital made him seethe internally. He left the room to Mon's farewell and found his guards at the doorway, waiting patiently for him.

Without a word, they proceeded down the lane towards the lift. But, as the blue clad guard pressed the button, his comrades surveying every step they took, Palpatine's eyes wandered.

In the space beside the elevator, he spotted Darlighter embracing his wife, who's eyes were tear-filled. Were Palpatine an emotional man, he would have been struck by their tenderness, but rather he found their pain most enjoyable. It was supposed to be a personal moment, and he relished the fact that this stoic, uptight Darkligher was not to receive all the privacy he'd desired in this corner. It seemed Palpatine had found something to detest about the man. Namely his likeness to all the things he hated about Skywalker... save for that whiny streak he fell into now and then._ Darklighter seems to lack that, at least. _As if sensing his thoughts, Jacen Darklighter's eyes met his for a small moment, then he turned back to his distraught wife.

Wordlessly, Darklighter frowned and placed a kiss on his bride's forehead, looking into her eyes afterwards with reassurance. Through the Force, Palpatine could sense their interaction. It was a sweet bond, teeming with great light. Not like that star from before, but brilliant none-the-less._ An excellent omen for the most star-crossed of lovers,_ Palpatine decided with a sneer.

Darkligher took a step to the side to return to his assignment and leave his wife to recover from whatever emotional baggage she was carrying. _It seems you are extremely reserved._ Palpatine noted, fighting a chuckle. He watched as the man walked the few paces he needed to rejoin Senators Organa and Mothma. Jaina, still caught in sorrow, stood by the elevator, her arms around herself.

Palpatine couldn't help but ask, "How long have you two been married?"

Jaina jumped once again, her eyes falling to her feet, "T-two months. We were supposed to be on holiday." Palpatine sighed as he heard that.

"What a shame." Jaina nodded.

"But... Duty is duty." She admitted, her eyes turning to him with a similar poise to her husband's. It seemed the emotion of the situation had already broken in, "And where would the world be without responsibility?"

Palpatine chuckled as the elevator door opened, "Indeed, m'lady." The first of the guards entered the open doors and surveyed the lift, clearing it for the Chancellor, "Come, I would share my lift with you." She smiled, but did not accept his opened hand.

"Thank you, Chancellor." She replied, falling into step with him, "It seems I am in need of refreshments. L-Jacen has elected me to get them while I pull myself together."

Frowning slightly, Palpatine lowered his hand and walked alongside the lovely young lady into the lift. _And she is lovely,_ he realized as he surveyed her, _positively beautiful. Radiant even._ His old, greedy mind grimaced the fact that she was already spoken for. That the previous moment of tenderness had not been exchanged with him._ Perhaps Mr. Darklighter will not return from this assignment._ Palpatine thought darkly.

"So." He attempted to make small talk, amazed as to how he suddenly felt like a young school boy once again. He hadn't felt that way since that demoness Mimra had courted him on Naboo all those years ago. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you so distraught, my dear?" Jaina turned to him and smiled warmly, making his pulse rise just a bit.

"I was just informed that my father has suffered a near fatal accident." She replied with a firmness in her voice that rivaled Halle Burtoni. He felt delight at the sound of it.

"Ah!" Palpatine feigned sadness as his insides relished this news merrily, "Will he recover?" Jaina made no motion of yes or no.

"That is to be determined." She admitted once more, "My... mother is keeping me appraised."

Palpatine smiled as he heard this, wondering how he could exploit this change of events. It really seemed apparent that this Darklighter was not the sensitive type, and he would have been a fool not to collect the angel before him into his house.

"I hope this lift hurries." Jaina commented as the neared the lobby, "I'm worried I'll miss the lunch menu. That, and I don't know where I am going really."

Smirking devilishly, Palpatine suggested, "Then allow me to escort you there."

* * *

**Author's Note: I was really excited to post this chapter. Leia strikes me as so stubborn that only something really startling would get her eyes to open up. And poor Padme... she's already starting to rationalize away her husband's darkness. I hope you found all this interesting. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10: Waning Powers

**Author's Note: Sorry again about having to change my post scheduling and thank you for being so patient about it. I really appreciated all of your reviews from last chapter! Please keep them up! They keep me motivated, that's for sure. And thank you to those who favorited Promise or followed it!**

**With September approaching, I thought I'd remind you all to vote on my profile page on whether I should write my rendition of Shmi's story. A few of you have placed your votes and I very much appreciate it. At the moment I'd need about 30 votes to be willing to put my energies into flushing out this story. **

**_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._**

* * *

Anakin continued to rummage through the ship, looking for something else that needed work. His hands were now covered in grease, dirt and grime, and his hair was a conglomeration of sweat and a similar mixture. The ship wasn't large enough, and all it's pristine, white covered halls hardly offered him enough distraction in the depths of space. So he chose to delve inwards, to the guts of the ship.

His most recent diagnostic drew him into the small storage room beside the primary thrusters. It was a neat little space with various hydraulic pipes twisting in strange directions about the room. When he first found the space, he'd rolled his eyes at the clear blunder the engineer had made in having several dangerous components so close to one another and immediately set to work with Artoo. He needed to clear his thoughts. He needed to clear his punctuated vision.

"Master Anakin?" Threepio suddenly inquired through the doorway, "Miss Tano is requesting communication with you from Mandalore. Would you like me to re-route it through Artoo so that you may view it here?" Anakin stood up and glanced at Artoo before returning his eyes to his loyal creation.

"Sure." He replied as he grabbed an already heavily stained cloth to get some of the grease off his hands, "Thanks Threepio."

Threepio backed away and slightly bowed, "My pleasure Master Anakin... and." he added hesitantly, "If you don't mind my saying, I do hope that you and Mistress Padme will be on speaking terms again soon. Its..." He paused, almost feigning thoughtfulness perfectly, "strange to see you two so distant." Anakin chuckled and sighed.

"We will be Threepio." He assured the sensitive protocol droid, and, to reassure himself, he added more quietly, "We will."

As he sat himself down beside his latest project, now pulled apart into various piles of metal and plastic on the floor, Artoo whistled to him that he was ready to transmit. When Anakin nodded to the little astromech, the image of the young Togruta Padawan soon appeared before him, blue and small, thanks to Artoo's projectors. She'd grown a bit in the last few weeks, of that he was certain. The way she carried her striped lekku was certainly different, as was that glimmer in her eye. "Hello, my Master." She greeted sweetly, which usually preceded something bad.

"Ahsoka." Anakin replied with a smile and shrug, "What can I do for you?" Ahsoka sighed and glanced about the room to collect her thoughts.

But, despite how well she tried to hide it, she evaded her true reason for calling in search of something else. "Master... what was that great light in the Force?" Anakin shrugged and sat back, shaking his head. He already didn't like this topic.

"I don't know snips." He admitted, suddenly wishing he'd thought to call her earlier and have this exact conversation. _Some master I am,_ he chided himself inwardly as he outwardly added, "But it burned like hell. Are you all right?"

Her stripes that served as brows furrowed closer together, "No, master, I can't say that the light burned me..." she paused as she collected the correct adjectives in her mind, "It was more like a pleasing, cleansing experience. I felt no pain real whatsoever. Only minor discomforts."

Sitting forward to contemplate this, Anakin wondered, _Then why did it burn me?... And am I the only one who was burned?_ While his mind was on other things, Ahsoka finally worked up her nerve. It hadn't taken her long to know when to address a problem with her master and that was usually when he was distracted with another problem.

"I...I was wondering if you could guide me a little." She inquired sheepishly, "I'm most perplexed by my task here, educating the young of Mandalore. It... has been very challenging." Anakin chuckled in hearing that. "In many ways, I don't know what to do with them."

Sitting up once more, Anakin listened in earnestly to what his Padawan Learner had to say, her details of the questions of her students and the actions they've taken in regards to her lessons intriguing him. "I never expected them to be so... enabled by what I was saying."

Anakin sighed as she finished her story, "Ahsoka, you must learn to gauge those around you. Not all are... receptive and others are too empowered by words."

In hearing this, the young Togruta's big blue eyes grew wider with fear. Through the Force, he could feel her despondence. "Then what do I do?"

"You watch over them." Anakin told her sternly, "Attempt to predict where they might cause trouble and stop them. Or guide them through the conflict when they find what needs to be found." He added that last bit with a smile, bringing Ahsoka's confidence back in hers.

She bowed, "Thank you, master."

"Be well, Ahsoka." Anakin replied, "May the Force be with you."

And the transmission cut away, leaving the space around it darker than it was before. Anakin checked his wrist Chrono and found that he'd been conversing with her for nearly an hour, which still left eighteen more to go until they landed on Coruscant. _This is taking forever._ He had to admit though, Ahsoka did manage to bring him down from his rage. She was good at that.

So intent was he on his conversation with Ahsoka, that he did not sense the familiar presence of someone in the doorway.

"You speak to her so kindly." Padme noted from her unintended hiding place, surprising Anakin into a slight jump. She chuckled at that, as it was not often she could surprise him... More like the other way around. "Sometimes I wonder if you think of her as a little sister, maybe a... a daughter even." Padme flushed a bit when she said this. Yet Anakin only turned to her, still unable to smile.

Though this time it was because of how ashamed he was, ashamed that he could be so uncompromising. He'd come to that conclusion two hours ago.

"A sister would be the best definition." Anakin admitted, his voice gentle to her as it usually was. He scooted over towards the side of the metal crate he sat upon, giving her room to have a seat. Artoo, being the surprisingly sensitive droid he was, scooted out the door, closing it behind him to give the secret couple some privacy.

"What about a daughter?" Padme inquired carefully, "Would you... would you want one of those, someday?" Anakin smirked at her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder as he pulled her close.

"Of course I would." He replied gently, resting his head on the top of hers as they sat alone together for the first time in nearly a standard month. He took in the feeling of being close to her, from smell to sight to spirit. "She'd be perfect... and who doesn't want perfect." Padme chuckled and cuddled closer to him, relishing his warmth.

"How do you know she'd be perfect?" She had to ask slyly.

Anakin paused and rolled his eyes to himself, as though the question were redundant. "Because she'd be your daughter, and you are perfect." He replied, "I thought that was obvious." Padme smirked and sat up, staring at him with eyes that showed just how torn she was inside. Torn between still being angry with him and being touched by his interactions with Ahsoka.

"You know I want that for us someday." She told him earnestly, placing a hand on his sleeve as if it would hold him in place, "Sooner rather than later actually, but..." She paused, trying to find her words, "Sometimes I wonder if you believe that." Anakin sighed and sat back, his eyes darting around the room now as he considered what to say next. So Padme took advantage of his uncertainty and continued her thoughts, "When you get jealous- and don't pretend you don't- you become the antithesis of who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Untrusting, uncompromising, _cruel_ even."

"Padme I-" She cut him off with the wave of her hand.

"Let me finish." She told him, her brown eyes firm with decision, "I need to say this." He nodded and acquiesced, his eyes returning to his hands, "But when I see you talking to Ahsoka, or Obi-Wan, or when we are alone and uninterrupted, you are just... perfect. Simply everything I could ever want. It makes me wonder why these moments of jealousy keep popping up." Anakin sighed and thought about it.

_I..._ he realized, _I don't have an answer for that_.

It didn't take him long to conjure one, however. "I honestly don't think I am being that irrational." He told her defensively, crossing his arms over his chest, "I know you loved him once and-" Padme stood up, her face suddenly stony once more as she glared at him. "Hear me out!" He begged as he grabbed her arm, "Please!"

Padme stopped and crossed _her_ arms over her chest. Normally she was the open one. He was usually the judgmental of the two. But her dark stare was so intense, he was almost afraid to speak. Almost. "I am always so scared that your trust of others will get you killed. A part of me truly believes that someone you trust will be the one to hurt you..." He turned away from her to say more, "It's like my... visions from when my mother died." He hated using his mother as though some sort of excuse. Shmi had been a kind woman and what had happened to her was tragic: he could not endure that level of pain again and survive. Of that he was certain.

In hearing that, Padme's expression became more understanding as she opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door sliding open.

Rush Clovis stood in the doorway, a smile on his face as he surveyed the two of them. His eyes noted their lack of proximity to one another, and suddenly he seemed far more comfortable than before. "My apologies, General Skywalker... Padme." he looked to them each respectively, "But it appears that your protocol droid has gotten stuck in an open hatch down the hall." Anakin rolled his eyes, sighed and stood up.

"Well that's just splendid." he retorted coarsely, once again frustrated and angry.

Clovis watched him pass by, that confident smirk still on his face as he did. When Anakin ambled in frustration down the hall, he turned to Padme, who stood feeling a bit wretched inside the small room. All she could do was go through that conversation over and over again in her mind. _I feel as though I understand him a bit better now,_ she realized, fighting with the smile tugging at her lips.

But her reflections were soon interrupted by Rush clearing his throat as he began his own conversation, "Why was the hatch open anyways?" He asked as he crossed his arms, "I was under the impression that Jedi equipment was state of the art." Padme sighed and glance up at the man.

"It is." She told him with a slight smile, "And is usually better once An-_erm_-General Skywalker get's to play with it. He has a great talent in repairing in improving most any technology. He even built my protocol droid." Clovis's brow went up.

"Did he now?" She could sense the suspicion in his voice.

Padme nodded, "Yes, when he was eleven. He gave it to me years later."

Clovis took a step forward, his eyes glancing down the hall to where Skywalker had disappeared. "Just how close are you two?"

Sensing this question long in advance, Padme smiled with her politician's mask, "Well, we are old friends. That's why he gets a bit protective of me." This seemed to appease Clovis, as he merely glanced down the hallway and let the topic drop.

Padme was very grateful for that. Something inside of her seemed to believe he understood more than he let on.

* * *

Leia was never very patient, as far as Jedi were concerned, and so waiting for Chancellor Palpatine to grow tired of her was grating. Like being stuck with a thousand needles..._ Nope, needles would be better._ She realized with a grimace.

She'd already discussed the news with him twice, feigned being ill and even spoke of her false husband as though he were some gallant knight. Yet, still, she was waiting.

And it was hard standing next to that old man. Though he looked eons better than his future counterpart, burns and all, just knowing that beneath the broad smile and the gentle voice was a monster sent chills down her spine. She'd always wondered how he'd gained power, and now she knew. It turned out all one needed was the face of an angel and the heart of a devil.

"So, tell me Chancellor," Leia suddenly inquired as she ambled down the way, trying to hide her frustration in being near the old man, "How did you come about those injuries?"

Palpatine sighed and shook his head, clearly having forgotten about them in his eagerness to speak with her, "We aren't too certain of that... My investigators believe that the ones who harmed Bail merely did so to distract the security from me. But I am not convinced." And with that, he let the topic drop, for the first time showing his own discomfort. Leia merely smirked, pleased with herself for putting the old man's confidence in its place. He took quite a while in resuming conversation with her, and by that time they'd left the overcrowded, dome-like lobby for the more antiseptic white halls of the regular hospital.

It wasn't until a doctor came around that she'd been reprieved. He'd sighted them and felt he had to remind the Chancellor that his vigilance was harming his heath. So, after nearly thirty kind farewells and assurances that he'd be around, Leia was finally able to return to Bail Organa's room, where her brother had been standing guard.

Mon Mothma was now gone, leaving Luke and the security detail alone with the injured Organa. Most of the security stood outside his door, with several members on patrol around the area. This left her brother alone in the room as the last line of defense.

After a reassuring glance towards her adoptive father, Leia turned her eyes towards her brother's form meditating on the floor. _How are things with him?_ She inquired internally, _Any sign of our attackers?_

She could hear him sigh,_ Nope, but I feel as though Zion's presence is in the area. I'm waiting for him to make a move..._ Leia sighed herself, worried for her father. She looked to him, saw the sad sight that her proud father was, and felt her heart break once more.

_I'm surprised you're not pursuing him._ She admitted, _I would be._

_Which is another reason it is good you were not here._ Luke told her, still in his meditative stance, _Sometimes patience is a good ally... How was the visit with Palpatine?_

Sitting forward, Leia deadpanned, _Sunshine and rainbows. What else?_

She heard his chuckle, and found herself joining him a bit. _That bad, eh?_

_ I think he's an old pervert._ She admitted outright, _I've never met a man that could talk so straight with his mouth and so slyly with his eyes._ Luke snorted again, another contagious round. _I swear, maybe he's-_

_ -a little more than just interested..._ Luke suddenly inserted, a smile on his now definitely not meditating face, _Well, if worst comes to worst, you'll make a lovely empress._

Leia scoffed and sat down beside her brother, crossing her arms over her knees. _I can't believe the sight of me crying was so appealing. I mean... he must really enjoy pain in others._

_ Speaking of which,_ Luke inquired of her, _you seem to be feeling better. Were you able to release your pain into the Force?_ Leia nodded solemnly, still amazed that she had managed that without Palpatine sensing it.

Yes, that had been both painful and difficult. She had hated seeing her father in such a state, marred and charred by some sort of mustard gas. But what had really shaken her was his voice. His breathing. He'd been using a respirator device that was almost exactly like Darth Vader's and the comparison nearly destroyed her. It was still haunting her. She didn't want to associate anything more between the men, besides them both being her father in some fashion. But it seemed that fate or the Force had other plans.

_So..._ She started to tease as she forced those dark memories from her, _We're husband and wife, and the most you can do is kiss me on the forehead__?_

_ Shaddup, your my sister now._

_Ah, so I'm your sister _now_? _She continued to jest, _That didn't seem to matter all those years ago. I'd think you could sell this role better._

_Hey, I never did a damned romantic thing to you. In fact, it was quite the contrary._ Luke reminded her, recalling their first awkward kiss on Hoth when they had no idea they were related._ I just thought you were beautiful. That's all that needs be said about the situation.__  
_

_ Yes, it would be strange to admit to our mother that you were head over heels in love with me when we first met._ She could feel Luke's laughter at her in the core of her heart. It ricocheted about like a lost bullet._ But we might have to sell our roles a bit more than we have been, if Queen Julia is any indication._

Luke let out a sigh, _Lay, Queen Julia is basically like an oracle. She reads the Force for answers and does not engage in violence with it. Palpatine does... there is a chance he cannot divine who we are, especially if his vision is clouded by his lust for you._

_ Ewww, ewww, ewww!_ Leia rolled her eyes, _pah-lease don't ever say that again! I mean, it's bad enough to have had Jabba the Hutt, who's older than Vader, all interested in me._

_ Didn't you kill that sleemo?_ Luke joked from his placement, sensing his sister's nod.

_May he rest in pieces!_ She declared, _but we cannot be assured that Palpatine's abilities don't rival Julia's. We may have to act more lovey-dovey just to keep him from being suspicious of our intentions in this time._

_ Define 'lovey-dovey'._ Luke inquired carefully, cringing inside at having to revert to his aforementioned behavior when he was twenty and ignorant.

Leia snorted again, ..._ um, I dunno._ There was silence for a moment as Luke muddled over this peculiar conversation. Too much silence it seemed.

_I still think you're being overly concerned._ He finally replied. _Half of the Rogues thought we were a thing and we were just acting normal around each other. Sometimes its more important to act naturally than to try to force others to believe your illusion._ Luke pointedly inserted just as the door to Organa's room swung open and a gray clad guard peeked inside, "Senator Organa?" he asked sheepishly before withdrawing. Luke and Leia sat forwards, trying to get a view outside the door since they were trying not to be so involved with the Force. "I'm sorry masters, but it appears Senator Organa is still asleep."

The slightly lighter voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi sounded through the door, and Leia could feel Luke's sorrow in knowing his old master stood there. She placed a hand on his for reassurance. "That is just fine, we can wait inside for him, if that is all right with you."

An unfamiliar female voice added, "Perhaps we will serve as extra protection, should the assailant return."

From what they could see, the guard visibly gulped. "Well... they already have additional guards inside... Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter from Bardotta, actually." Almost instantly, Obi-Wan and his friend put their energies into the room. Luke and Leia could feel their touch through the Force, and did their best to withdraw further.

"If they are here to help," Obi-Wan suddenly challenged, "then why do they hide from us?" As Leia visibly gulped, Luke closed his eyes and began to focus. Carefully and subtly, he pulled at the Force, creating an illusion.

"I..." the guard attempted to answer as Obi-Wan and his company stepped past the guard.

Leia watched in a stupor as the young, auburn haired man led the way into the room, his blue-gray eyes glancing about in suspicion. Beside him was the lean form of Shadday Potkin, who still remained completely unfamiliar to Leia. Now, being closer to her, she was even more certain that this woman was not her mother.

Twice, their eyes fell on the floor where Luke and Leia sat, and twice they looked away as though they weren't there. It was then apparent what Luke was doing: only her brother could conjure so convincing an illusion that other Force-sensitives believed it easily. He'd worked hard for years perfecting this technique and Leia was grateful for that now.

"It seems this extra protection has left." Shadday pointed out, crossing her arms before leaning on the wall next to Luke, "Which is even more suspicious."

Obi-Wan shrugged and sat down in the plush, red chair beside the window. "I suppose... but the energies of these Darklighters seem... familiar."

"You've run into them before?" She wondered, her voice carrying strongly like Leia's.

Pausing a moment to contemplate, Obi-Wan finally answered, "I think so. I just can't pin where." Shadday chuckled.

"Try not to tire yourself out remembering, old friend." She warned him, "We don't want you distracted, should the attackers show once again." Leia sighed, agreeing.

She turned once more to Luke, who appeared as though meditating as usual. A smile grew on her face when she realized that there was so little her brother could not do. But it fell when she realized he wanted to teach her all of it. _How will I ever learn all this?_

She believed deep down that she didn't have her brother's innate knack for learning, despite his insistence to the contrary. Luke need only be shown once to learn something and a few days later it would be mastered. He taught himself the majority of the upper level forms and conduct of the Jedi Order and had only, perhaps, a few weeks worth of true Jedi training under his belt... yet he was the best in the Order. And the strongest by far. Strong enough that after one year of training, he rivaled their father in both skill and strength. Now they could only surmise where he stood on the power scale.

There was a long silence between the two Jedi as they waited for Bail to wake up, and Leia could not help but notice that it was a fairly awkward silence. It was some time later when Shadday chanced a question she'd clearly been deliberating over for some time, "Do you remember Geonosis?"

Obi-Wan looked up at her curiously, "I doubt there is a Jedi who doesn't. Why?"

Shadday swallowed, "Well..." She turned her eyes away, "While you and Skywalker were otherwise occupied, all of us were hiding in the crowds."

"I remember that." Obi-Wan informed her, "I doubt I could forget the relief I felt when all those lightsabers ignited in the stands... a truly grand display of power." Shadday smiled and nodded.

"Indeed..." she then stepped forward by Organa, working through her thoughts, "Well... something happened that day that I have been meaning to talk to you about, and I know letting more than a year pass by is hardly appropriate, but... Skywalker-"

"-What about Anakin?" Obi-Wan's voice sounded tired, and almost challenging, like Anakin Skywalker was a very touchy subject for him. Shadday seemed to sense that as much as Leia.

"From my post..." she stumbled and partially mumbled, "I saw him kiss Senator Amidala..." She then paused, "I was wondering if anything came to light about that... or if I should-"

Obi-Wan sighed, "-You needn't report it... I'm well aware of his feelings for her. But nothing has come to fruition on that regard." Shadday sighed and seemed to relax a bit.

"Good." She finally decided, "I'd hate to have to cause problems for so skillful a Jedi." There was a pregnant pause as Obi-Wan eyed the woman with curiosity.

"You seem to have a respect for Anakin that most Jedi do not possess." he admitted, his brow raised, "Are you sure that your feelings are clear on the matter, Shadday?" The woman stepped back, as surprised as any would be.

She stuttered a bit, her face turning a red as she realized the implications of Obi-Wan's statement, "H-hardly, Master Kenobi. I just see no reason to not respect him. Everyone who's worked with him has seen his genius..." Smirking, Obi-Wan sat back with his arms crossed, shaking his head. "I really mean it Obi-Wan." Shadday pleaded, "Being a Jedi is my life, I harbor no feelings for anyone." He only smiled and nodded at her.

"I understand, Shadday." He then stood and stretched. Walking towards the door, he added, "If you don't mind, I'm in the need for something to drink. Shall I fetch you something as well?" Potkin merely smiled and shook her head.

"I'll see you soon, my friend." She told the auburn haired man as the hydraulic door slid open and he disappeared into the hallway. The woman seemed to relax a bit, turning to Bail Organa a moment before pacing the room. "Seriously?" was the hiss that started the rant, "Me have feelings for Skywalker of all people? The man is brilliant... but a bit of a maniac..." Leia heard her brother snort at the comment, which merely forced her to join in. She then panicked, hoping that the sound didn't disrupt Luke's illusion. But Luke didn't seemed worried about it. _Our father certainly has a reputation, _Luke noted in humor.

Leia fought her chuckle, _Yeah, it's almost as bad as yours... Darth Taskmaster._

_ I'll have you know that Mara named me Darth Junior,_ Luke pointed out with a grin, his mind stretching more to engage his sister and retain his complex illusion.

Rolling her eyes, Leia could barely manage to retain her laugh, _Cause that's so much better!_

Suddenly Potkin's eyes stopped and she stared at Bail once more, "No, Senator Organa, were I allowed to love, my taste would certainly be more mature than that buffoon."

Leia heard her brother chuckle once more at that remark, which put her on alert again. She turned to see if Luke's illusion still held, surprised that Potkin hadn't even glanced their direction. No, she was staring at her adoptive father rather oddly, stepping closer to his bed side with brown eyes that held a very distant gaze.

"It is such a shame, really." She admitted quietly, "We were such good friends once..." her hands reached out and stroked the remnants of his beard that peaked out from his mask. But, just as the proximity of her face entered too familiar of territory, the pop-hiss of a lightsaber suddenly ignited outside the window.

Before Potkin had time to assess the situation, Luke had broken his illusion and was across the room with his emerald lightsaber ablaze. Before him stood the angry form of Zion Tano, his sharp, carnivorous teeth exposed as he snarled at Luke. But Luke, his expression was that of boredom, as though his mind were elsewhere as they began to exchange parries.

Leia watched in amazement, her mind almost forgetting to scan their surroundings for the Mirialan or the master. She stood beside a startled Potkin, and in the perfect place to protect Bail Organa. Both woman observed the duel carefully, with Luke's calm facade breaking Zion Tano's attacks down with relative ease. Zion seemed to prefer diagonal slices across the body, but that did not bother Luke, who took each strike easily into a block. Though Zion had the offensive, he could not move the man before him.

"He's as powerful as Master Yoda!" Potkin nearly cried out, "Who..." she paused and turned to Leia, "Who are you?"

Leia smirked and nodded towards her brother, "We are friends." She admitted just as she spotted the red lightsaber of her Mirialan opponent. Diving between Potkin and the window, Leia blocked the vertical strike of her assailant with relative ease.

Now out of her stupor, Potkin ignited her own blue blade and the two woman began their own counter attack. The Mirialan hissed through her teeth as both Jedi slammed into her with a vertical strike. And she growled when they nearly sliced her in half.

A quick glance the other way showed her that Skywalker had Devaro backed into a corner. "Zion," he said in a very calm voice, "Why do you do this? Don't you care about Mina and Luci?"

Leia felt herself jump as her brother said that, feeling something strange in his presence. It was almost like he'd vanished spiritually only to recover at full strength. But she was soon forced rejoin her battle with a clearer mind. She was getting tired and it was way too soon for that.

In hearing the names of his sisters, Luke spotted the orange of the Togruta's eyes giving way to a subtle brown, but only for a moment as his angry snarl returned, "You leave them out of this!" He cried out as he made to stab Luke. But what he stabbed was nothing more than an illusion. Luke had moved so fast, that his trick succeeded easily. He now stood beside Zion, and knocked him upside the head with the hilt of his saber.

Leia could only smile as her opponent screamed like a banshee in anger, waking Organa from a drug-induced sleep. When Leia made to take her out in a similar fashion to her brother, the Mirialan dodged her and bolted out the window. Luke turned to his sister without any emotion in his face, save for his eyes which glowed with hope._ We can save him now. _But as he said that, she felt his presence vanish and reappear all over again, suddenly understanding what was wrong.

Luke was tired. His body was still spent from their travel back in time and yet he was still pushing to perform at his peak.

Stepping away from the astounded Potkin, Leia ran over to her brother to inspect first him and then the sleeping Tano. "How injured is he?" She wanted to know. Luke shrugged.

"He'll be awake in a couple of minutes."

As he leaned down to flip the man over, the door slid open, revealing a panting Obi-Wan Kenobi. Shocked that he did not sense him, Luke froze, but would not face the man. "What in blazes is going on here!" The Jedi Master demanded.

Through his respirator, a grumpy and groggy Bail Organa added, "I'd like to know too!"

Completely at a loss as to how they could best respond, Luke and Leia turned to one another with uncertainty in their eyes. And before any answer could be given, Tano surprised Luke and lept up and dashed out the window after his companion.

But Luke was not far behind him.

Had it not been fore the lack of speeder, Leia would have gladly gave chase, but she had to settle for holding her brother back from diving directly into Coruscant's upper atmosphere. It seemed he felt gravity had no hold on him anymore.

"I can still catch him!" Luke grumbled.

Leia sighed, "No, Luke... we can save him another time." Letting out a deep sigh as the two drove off into the sunset, Luke watched them in frustration... and then he relented, releasing those feelings into the Force.

* * *

His temporary home was something to behold. He'd worked very hard to make it seem... approachable and dignified, despite wanting to rip the calming colors down and fill the space with images of fear and darkness. No, he had a facade to continue. To cultivate. And later, to condemn.

Palpatine had to fight sneering at his receiving room's subtle hues of sunshine, decorated as suggested by Senator Amidala, who in his mind was _a micromanaging master... How she can put up with the Epimethius that is Skywalker is beyond me._

But he had to give her credit, it was far easier to coax information out of people who were a little too comfortable than those who were not. Which is why he always kept bottles of Nemoidian wine in his storehouse in the lower levels of his large estate.

Yes, the Nemoidian wine was an expensive luxury that had the reputation for being especially strong. He recalled having shared some with Skywalker at one point, discovering that the man had unusually high tolerance levels for almost any type of depressant. It had taken nearly the whole bottle for the man to start spitting his venom at the Jedi Order, admitting his true frustrations. Palpatine had attributed this resistance to his high midichlorian count, which likely diluted many things in his blood for later processing. These microscopic beings were likely also why Skywalker had yet to contract his wife's peculiar evolution of the Blue Shadow virus. At least, to his knowledge he hadn't. No reports had come in on either side of Skywalker having coughing fits.

And speaking of both sides, Palpatine was on his way to his lower rooms. In his vineyard themed storage room, he found the small stone that opened a secret door. Not worried for being spotted, as he often sent his staff home around this time of night, he opened this door and hopped into his hidden lift with a maniacal grin.

Moments later, he was in his unmarked speeder, a hood raised over his face as he sped about the lower levels of Coruscant to his factory district. He'd already contacted his apprentice once this week from his office, and didn't dare risk it again. Though the Jedi were not entirely suspicious of him, he wasn't always on their good side either.

As the droid driver brought him to his hideaway in the bowels of the factory district, Sidious smirked devilishly, despite how the movements burned his aching flesh. Afterall, the guise that is Palpatine was now gone. Only Sidious remained and he liked this persona much better.

The excited, evil man clambered up the mesh walkway, his footfalls sounding like rain on metal, he was so swift.

Within his hideaway, he found the small comm station he'd constructed when he first arrived on Coruscant as a Senator. The room was dark, damp and mystifying. The perfect place to encourage fear and hatred. The jingling chains gave the abode a ghostly feel, and the howling winds sent a shiver even into Sidious's spine. Smiling at the gloom of his hidden creation, especially in comparison to his actual living situation, Sidious moseyed up to his HoloComm and placed his call to his now infamous apprentice.

It took a little longer than normal for Tyrannus to reply, but, eventually his image appeared, prostrating himself, on the floor before Darth Sidious. "What is thy bidding, my master?" The elderly warrior inquired in proper Sith manner. Sidious could not help but notice how injured he seemed. His body trembled and his normally powerful voice shook as though sick.

"Is all well, Tyrannus?" The master inquired in a false form of concern. His only true concern, however, was that his puppet was intact for his next assignment. Slowly turning his head up, Tyrannus revealed that he was also plagued by mysterious burns.

"I'm afraid not, my master." He began his explanation, "A strange light exuded through the Force and, somehow, left me gravely injured with mysterious burns. My recovery has been slow going." Sidious frowned as he contemplated this, _Tyrannus will be of no use to me for a great while,_ "Have you not felt this light, my master?"

Sidious sighed and nodded, "It has left me equally incapacitated." He showed the man his hands, which were still burned raw. He'd removed the bandages from the hospital hours ago, hating the feel of them on his skin. Tyrannus's eyes showed true fear.

"What do you suppose did this, my master?"

Sidious shrugged and turned away from the projector, "My assumption at first was Skywalker. The presence within that light felt most similar to his own... but the epicenter was here on Coruscant and he is currently falling into our plans on Scipio." Tyrannus swallowed, an action that burned as his esophagus, which was just as injured as the rest of him.

"Than who do you suppose it was, if Skywalker was not behind this mess?" Tyrannus's patched brows furrowed slightly, then retracted as he felt more pain. Truthfully, the man looked near death, which made Sidious wonder just how bad he really looked. He hadn't dared stand before a mirror for fear of his anger making him a beacon of darkness in the Force.

"I do not know," he admitted to his apprentice in a sneer, he hated not knowing and Tyrannus knew this, "Sadly, all attempts on my part to connect with the dark side have been restricted by the remnants of light still injuring me... I'm certain you've noticed this with yourself."

Tyrannus nodded, "Indeed I have. I've resolved to distance myself from the dark side until I have healed enough." Sidious nodded.

"A wise choice, my apprentice." He then turned about, "But in the meantime... I do have a little errand for your General Grievous to attend to... he is not Force-sensitive, and therefore should be up to the task." Tyrannus again attempted to raise his brow.

"An errand, my master?"

Sidious smirked, "Yes... I need Grievous to trap and execute a man by the name of Jacen Darklighter." Tyrannus frowned a moment, deliberating who the name belonged to.

"I have not heard of this Jacen Darklighter..." He admitted after a time, his normally proud voice trembling, "What is his offense?"

This time Sidious was the one to frown, "What he has done is not your concern. You are merely to obey me Tyrannus." Normally Sidious would have reached through the Force to strangle his apprentice, but he did not dare such a feat while still so corrupted by light. Tyrannus's face indicated he was expecting that, and he was not foolish enough to show any relief to his master lest Sidious change his mind. "And, by any means necessary, do not allow Grievous to injure his wife, Jaina Darklighter. She has a place in my plans..."

Sensing that this matter might even be personal, Tyrannus nodded and bowed respectfully. "Yes, my master." He knew he only needed to appease this psychopath for only a little while longer. It was only a matter of time before his own plans for succession became available.

* * *

**Author's Note/Commentary: And we finally get to meet Count Dooku! I honestly wasn't sure when he'd appear in this story at first. Truthfully, despite my plots and planning, this story is evolving into something all its own, which has been a lot of fun.**

**I'm not super pleased with Luke and Leia's internal conversation. It was meant to be funny and yet explain why their behavior wont change very much in the next few episodes, as well as distinguish what I believe Queen Julia is supposed to be able to do. I would have taken it out if it hadn't served that purpose, but I changed it like six times too... hopefully it wasn't too hard to follow or confusing. **

**Also, that Luke being as strong as Yoda comment: it makes sense to me. I know a lot of other time travel stories make him a novice Jedi, but Luke didn't strike me as a novice in Return of the Jedi and a lot of other information I've read seems to indicate this as well. He should be much stronger than the Anakin of the past and, after 4 additional years, I see no reason why he wouldn't rival Yoda. **

**Anyways: Please don't forget to review and vote!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Snake

**Hello my wonderful readers! I AM SO EXCITED TO PREMIERE THIS CHAPTER TO YOU! I hope you all like it!**

**Also, thank you Starsfan for catching a couple of my mistakes and letting me know. I appreciate the help!**

******_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._**

* * *

It was nearly four hours until they arrived on Coruscant, and she could sense how that grated on her secret husband. While Clovis napped calmly on one of the passenger chairs, Padme decided to again seek Anakin out. Five hours ago, he'd ventured back into the bowels of the ship to find his resolve once more.

Padme noticed that he was struggling to allow Clovis to even sit next to her, much less speak to her. She'd gotten an idea in her mind that, perhaps, his delusions were a result of their long partings. _We only see each other once a month,_ she reminded herself, _if we are lucky... I can understand that insecurity._ And she really could. Part of the reason she hated the HoloNews was because of how they portrayed Anakin as a hero and, because of this, members of almost every sentient race that crossed crossed his path attempted to steer him away from his Jedi oath. When she was witness to this callow behavior, she too seethed, as Anakin was anything if not polite. But, instead of being upset about her insecurity, Anakin merely teased her for it. Sadly, this calmness did not go both ways.

So, using her own instincts, which Anakin claimed rivaled many Jedi, Padme followed her heart and found her husband hiding in the same trap door that Threepio had fallen into earlier that day. She smiled at the sight of him, covered in oil and grime, grumbling to himself in Huttese. And, without warning, she jumped down the hole herself, knowing Anakin would sense her enough to catch her.

"P-Padme?" Anakin stuttered, hoping she hadn't heard the long string of curses he'd spat out just a moment ago, "What are you doing here?"

She chuckled a moment, leaning forward in his arms to kiss his grime covered cheek, "Well... Rush is taking a nap, and we hardly ever see each other... so..." She raised her brows at him, her smile wide and mischievous. As he stared at her and marveled, she leaned forward and kissed him once more. Then again, and again until he started laughing.

"You surprise me sometimes." He informed her as he sat back on the crate he was using as a stool, "One moment you're all business and the next-"

"-Just shut up and kiss me already." She ordered him, bringing a wholehearted laugh out of Anakin. Pulling her closer to himself, he obeyed with a grin, making her laugh at how boyish he looked. He even waved his hand off to the side, using the Force to close the hatch door.

"As you wish." He suddenly added, his typical half grin on his face, "M'lady."

It wasn't often that they had a chance to be playful, and so they wasted no time in enjoying their temporary privacy. But, even as they quietly enjoyed one another's company inside the small hatch, a figure stood ominously above it, listening for signs of life. His shadow did not move, nor did he blink as he heard the quiet laughter from below, and, at last, he let out a sigh.

"Its about time those two figure it out." Threepio decided as he turned and walked away, looking for Artoo as he did. He knew his next mission was to check on Senator Clovis, but he hadn't realized the former-senator had followed him this far. And that the man had a devilish smirk on his face as he too turned about.

Revenge was apparently on his mind.

* * *

If Darth Vader had ever used his respirator to its maximum decibel, Bail Organa learned to reach past it. After the attack on his recovery room, where it became apparent that Queen Julia hadn't sent true Dagoyan Masters to him, but rather Jedi, he became rather... perturbed.

Drawing a deep breath in once again as he chewed out the queen, Bail added even more of his opinion into the mix, "I would rather you better appraise me of your help." He told her outright, "I don't mind having Jedi watch over me, but it is nice to know what they are. I assumed they were a couple of sages, not warriors."

Luke and Leia watched the scene with regret, both standing at attention while Kenobi and Potkin watched them curiously from the other side of Bail. Queen Julia had taken her own deep breath, and was now forming her retort to Organa's outrage, "Would it really have mattered who I sent to look after you?!" She told him sternly, "The point was to protect you, and they did. Another assailant attacked you-"

"-And I am grateful for that!" Bail inserted quickly, "But that does not excuse withholding who is protecting me... Master Kenobi did research and Jacen and Jaina Darklighter aren't even registered to Bardotta! They seemingly don't exist at all!" Luke glanced down at his feet and took a deep breath.

The whole time he'd been subtly trying to calm Organa, but he was growing more exhausted with the effort. Truthfully, he couldn't stop his legs from trembling slightly in attempting to stand at attention.

_He needs to stop._ Luke told Leia, taking a deep breath, _I can't clear his memories of us if he's locked into a fight like this._

Leia took a step forward, "Senator Organa." She started with her most authoritative tone, "We do apologize for not informing you of our talents... but we are honorary civilians of Bardotta as well as Dagoyan inductees, we just cannot register with either groups because of our other affiliations." He stopped and turned to her, Kenobi doing the same.

"And what are these other affiliations?" he demanded, his voice so Vader-like that Leia felt her own heart tearing up.

It was to her good fortune that Luke intervened.

"Most nefarious affiliations, sir." He informed the man, "Our lives have not been easy, and survival has led us down many unfortunate paths. Surely, you understand that." He paused, as if for effect as he put his heart into his blue eyes, "Queen Julia saved us, sir. We owe her everything, which is why we are here to protect you."

Whether by Luke's mind trick or by his convincing act, Bail Organa's eyes softened. "I... I understand." That brought a smile to both 'Darklighter's' faces.

Luke and Leia bowed, with Leia acting as spokesperson. "We thank you senator."

They then turned to Kenobi and Potkin, both of whom seemed less than convinced. But Kenobi was the one to step forward, "So long as the Senator is all right with this arrangement, we have no more reason to be here." He then added, staring at Luke most intently, "Knowing you two are trained as Jedi, it is not necessary for us to remain, and we can continue our investigation with eased minds."

Potkin also stepped forward, "We thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter."

Sensing this conversation was not quite over with them, Luke and Leia bowed and thanked the Force for the intercession. They really needed it.

As they watched the two of them leaved, Leia turned her eyes towards her brother, _That assassin was not after my father... they were after Potkin._

_So now we know they've done their research,_ Luke realized with a sigh, watching as Bail and Julia continued to discuss these arrangements. It sounded as though Luke and Leia were to remain with him longer, which had Luke worried. To protect his sister, he had purposely left out that Bail was her adoptive father. Julia was merely relying on her trust in him that Bail was significant. And, truthfully, he was. _At least,as a Jedi, she has a chance against these warriors... Sadly, we cannot afford to protect her and still attempt to find our mother._

_Agreed._ Leia nodded subtly, _And we need to find her fast._

Luke gulped, knowing Leia would not like his next suggestion, _We need to find father fast. He's our only clue._

There was silence as his sister processed that, likely thinking to herself in Corellian and Huttese while purposely shutting Luke out to spare his feelings. _I was afraid you'd say that, _she later admitted.

* * *

This building they found was a relatively easy one to access. With the wars going on, so many representatives were in and out of their Coruscanti residences, that finding a suitable home to invade was a matter of inquiry and not research. Pestilis rather liked this home, what with its dark walls and bright red carpeting. Even the wood of the kitchen had the feel of blood about it, and blood red was her favorite color. It was the color of her lightsaber.

But even the pleasing aesthetics could not undue her building temper.

Pestilis sighed as she heard from her protege the outcomes of their first attempt at killing off a candidate, and she found herself less than amused. With a thin line twisting into a frown on her face, she attempted to keep her anger inside of herself. And attempted was the key word.

"They literally ripped through time this morning!" She shouted at the insufferable fools before her, "You should have been able to at least kill the whore!" Devaro swallowed his comment; since meeting Pestilis, he found that he detested most her signifier for female Jedi. Even his beloved mother had been labeled 'whore' by the old crone.

"Skywalker was drained," he informed his undesired master with a frown, "But he seemed to be drawing on more power as I fought him, as though his body were the issue, not his connection with the Force."

"And Potkin was assisting Organa, who seemed as strong as when we last fought." Anhilis added bitterly, "Are you sure the device drains one as much as you claim? They seem only moderately affected by it, and it hasn't even been thirty-eight hours yet."

Pestilis frowned as a great fog enveloped her, filled with fire and hate that burned like molt. _You needn't be surprised... These Skywalkers are a significant pair._ Came an echoing voice from around them. Suddenly, the fog began twisting into a whirl wind, forming first a being comprised of ash and fire. And then, the blaze cooled, revealing a pale, ghostly man with a thin, twisted mustache and dark, curly hair.

Instantly, Pestilis gasped and bowed to her guardian, "Master Demantis!" She cried out, "I thought you would not be able to form in this time."

Demantis smirked, his red eyes glistening in the dark room, "As did I." he admitted as he stepped down to eye the two non-believers in the room, "But it seems that my newly found determination pulled through for once." He stopped and ran a hand down Anhilis's cheek, making her shudder in fear because of his dark, dangerous aura, "These times are far darker than our own, filled with death, chaos, hate, greed and fear... It seems there is so little light, that a well fed, well aged Shaetin such as myself can finally manifest in the light of stars." His eyes then fell on Pestilis with a great grin.

"Now," He began, heading over to sit where she once had, "About these Skywalker twins, I must know more about their current abilities."

Anhilis swallowed and turned to Devaro to begin, which he begrudgingly did, "Skywalker seemed relatively unaffected when it came to fighting, but his senses were greatly dulled, and he was focusing hard to hold an illusion in place around two Jedi. Records indicate that fooling five Jedi is well within his range of abilities."

Demantis smirked and turned his head to the side, revealing a set of teeth so sharp, a Nexu would be jealous. "Considering his heritage, this does not surprise me... nor does it worry me. He is not a Drajdai yet." He then sat forward, "And Organa is far from it, if he has not crossed the threshold."

"Drajdai?" Anhilis inquired, having never heard the term before. Demantis turned to her, a wicked grin on his face.

"The only thing that can face a healthy specimen such as myself." He informed the woman, "And that is all you need know for now."

The two apprentices nodded and returned their gaze to the ground. Pestilis smiled at their good behavior, pleased that they were showing her master respect. "What would you have us do next, my master?"

Demantis turned to her and grinned, "First, we must eliminate as many candidates as possible. If we are unable to do this within the next month, we need to confuse these twins..." His eyes then turned to Anhilis. "Gather the Betrigist... That should suffice if we become so desperate."

Pestilis smirked, glad that she hid the device so well before traveling through time. That was before she took her master's intentions into account, "But isn't anymore interference dangerous? We do not know the full impact of our actions inside the paradox. I think toying with time too much could be... detrimental."

Demantis frowned, "Oh, dear Pestilis... do you doubt me?" She turned her eyes away from him.

"No, master, I do not."

He then grined widely, his sharp canines showing through most of all. "Good... after all, only one Sith ever turned Luke Skywalker even slightly to the dark side. And we may need him here to create chaos. To... darken his soul ever so slightly." The man then turned most stoic as he eyed his subordinates through a blood red gaze, "He must not be made into light."

* * *

Following Bail Organa into their next adventure together was a bit of a kill joy. Originally, they'd assisted him home, which led to playful conversation, even as Bail tiptoed around their prior betrayal. Luke had worked his magic, and lessened some of Bail's memories so that he felt he had less to be upset about. And, more importantly, it was likely he'd forget enough about them to not recognize them altogether in the future, which was what they wanted. Especially Leia, who had been very close to her father.

Luke figured erasing Potkin's memories was unnecessary, as they'd never meet and Leia had assured him she was not their mother. He'd argued just as much for Obi-Wan, who would realize all too late who they actually were if he did remember them. They'd likely be mere shadows amongst the many faces he encounters on his adventures. And, in Luke's opinion, Obi-Wan was already suspicious of them enough. He did not need to be tipped off by Luke's presence entering his mind.

Therefore, they were fairly confident in themselves as they followed the slightly spiteful Bail Organa into Chancellor Palpatine's office. Despite orders for bed rest from every second opinion, Organa was not about to lie down while Rush Clovis reentered Coruscant's political arena. Though Leia knew something of the man her father held a grudge against, she didn't understand why he was so determined to confront him.

When the Senate Building came into view of Bail's speeder, the twins felt themselves tighten up on their Force-presences, feeling their energies fall as they realized they'd likely have to play games with the Sith Lord once more. _At least we have the wardrobe to look imposing now,_ Leia pointed out to her brother.

"Yes," Luke replied aloud as he dove the speeder down to enter the surprisingly familiar senate garage, "Thank you Senator for the replacement clothes."

Surprised at the abruptness of Luke's comment, Bail furrowed a brow and replied, "It's my pleasure. You're Jedi, you should look it." Luke smirked a moment, nodding in a agreement. Their clothes were very Jedi-esk. Luke was relieved to receive garb in colors he could agree with. He wore long shirts of black and dark blue, and now had decent set of dark boots to match. His brown leather belt was detailed with darker black leather and a gold clasp.

Conversely, Leia wore all whites and cremes, her usual colors. But Bail's attendant picked out reddish brown slacks and a matching belt with a silver clasp to give her a more Jedi appearance. She shocked her brother by choosing to keep her dark hair down and curling, something she didn't do normally when visiting with senate affairs.

It took hardly a minute for Luke to park the speeder and await Bail's royal guard to follow suite. Moments later, the pack of eight were ambling through the halls, following Bail's floating chair towards the lion's den.

They both gulped as they entered his rustic colored chamber, filled with windows that had, perhaps, the best view in all of Coruscant. He was clearly a very neat man, as DataPads were carefully placed on steel shelves and decorations of art from various, grateful cultures littered his open spaces. Even the carpet was unusually calming. _Considering the man,_ Leia grumbled internally, sensing her brother's subtle laugh.

And, as if on cue, Palpatine was up and at Leia's side like glue, making her extremely self conscious. She turned to her brother with pleading eyes as Palpatine eyed her more desirable features. Luke did his best not to allow any anger to enter his heart.

"Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter!" The man greeted merrily, "So good to see you again... I hear there was an incident at the hospital?" Both Luke and Leia stalled, turning to Organa with raised brows as if indicating he should answer the question.

And, fortunately, Organa took the hint. "Yes, two dark-Jedi attacked my room, and the Darklighters and Knight Potkin made quick work of the incident."

"Ah, Knight Potkin." Palpatine echoed, "And extraordinary knight, if I do say so myself." Bail agreed whole-heartedly, but also noticed that Palpatine was doing anything but looking his way, his eyes so locked on Jaina Darklighter, that it was borderline indecent.

And, apparently, he wasn't the only one, as Master Yoda soon approached. "Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter." he greeted in his unusual way, "Strange, it is, to see that the mysterious guests in our temple, also Senator Organa's protectors are." Luke and Leia nodded, with Luke still trying his best not to connect with his former master. The night before, upon seeing Obi-Wan's gaze, Luke felt that bonded pull and knew that Kenobi had been made suspicious of him as well because of it. He didn't need wise Yoda doing the same.

"Queen Julia is most interested in your temple." Leia answered for him, just as the dark-skinned Master that had accompanied Yoda before approached. His presence was strong, intense even, and Leia immediately recognized him as the Force-presence that she'd reached out to when they first arrived in the past. Knowing this, Leia retracted her own signature further.

"I am most glad to hear that." He informed her, "I am Mace Windu... It is truly unfortunate that our alliance with the Dogoyan has dwindled so much in recent years. My hope is to rectify that as soon as an opportunity presents itself." Luke and Leia turned to the man and smiled at him gratefully. His warmth was welcome, though Luke was fairly certain Windu had a reputation for being more cold than warm.

"Queen Julia is a wise woman." Luke informed him, "I do not doubt that she would at least hear out your wish of friendship."

Windu smiled widely, "I am pleased to hear this. Queen Julia is most benevolent." Luke and Leia nodded to him as Master Yoda stepped back. It didn't take long for either twin to sense why. A massive, conflicted Force signature was approaching. _Vader,_ Leia thought with a grimace.

Though she had not realized she was sensing her biological father in the past, Leia had known and felt his presence many times and knew that the large persona she felt was none other than Vader. Luke could only smile at the light his father's former life had carried, even if he could detect flakes of darkness within him. And he wondered if anyone else could too. His eyes immediately fell to Palpatine in contemplating this.

"Arrived, Knight Skywalker has." He informed them, "Aid him in escorting Clovis, I will."

Palpatine suddenly frowned, "Then at least take my guard with you... I sense, carries valuable information, he does, and too careful, one cannot be." Yoda turned and smiled.

"After the events of this week, more comfortable am I in leaving your guard here, Chancellor."

Palpatine shrugged and shook his head, "Nonsense, my friend. We've many Jedi here in this room. The guard his hardly necessary now." Knowing better than to argue further, Yoda nodded his head and conceded, turning to the blue guards with a slight, forced smirk.

Luke turned to Leia, who seemed to be sweating from uncertainty. It was clear that Palpatine's gaze was making her wish she could crawl out of her skin. "Jaina," he suggested as she attempted to not be bothered by the Chancellor's obvious leering, "Perhaps you too can assist Master Yoda." Delighted at the escape presented to her, Leia leaned forward and kissed her brother's cheek thankfully before dashing off, adding her excited goodbyes to all those in their circle.

Turning back away from her, Luke smiled at the Chancellor and Master Windu as though he were the luckiest man alive. He needed to sell his role, after all.

Windu frowned slightly, "Tell me, Mr. Darklighter-"

"-Please," Luke interceded, "Call me Jacen."

"Jacen." Windu corrected with less of a frown, "How did you come by Jedi training, when you clearly do not follow our code?" Poised with an answer to this question, Luke smiled.

"Master Altis never seemed to have a problem with my loving Jaina." He replied with a sure smile, making Windu nod in understanding.

"Many Jedi do not agree with Master Altis-"

"-With all due respect," Luke added quickly, "many Jedi do not agree with the high council either." Palpatine was watching this exchange with a slight grin, amazed with the similarities he was seeing between Darklighter and Skywalker. His disenchanting Mace Windu was apparently one of those commonalities.

Windu took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face, "Very true." he realized, "But I am surprised that you have not assisted us with the war effort. Most of Master Altis's Jedi have."

Luke swallowed, not expecting that retort, "He isn't so fond of me... anymore." He turned his eyes away from the man, trying to figure on a decent story. Normally Leia was the one good at those. Sensing a touchy topic, Windu backed off and let the theme die, even as he sensed the Chancellor grow more intrigued by that answer.

Suddenly concerned that he could not pull this off alone, Luke found himself wishing his sister was at his side.

* * *

Flying into Coruscant, Anakin was relieved. Though he was still most reassured of his wife's love for him, he had no love for her former beau and was thrilled at the prospect of dumping him somewhere. It turned out that Padme, as devilish as she could be, had possibly, potentially, likely gave the former-senator a sleeping drought that left them alone for a good two hours or so. The uh, details were still in the wind. But that was a kind reprieve on her part, as they were in desperate need of some time together. His mind was already planning ahead at the prospect of having even more alone time with her later that evening.

He knew he had about two days home before he was schlepped off somewhere else. The council didn't like tiring out their Jedi too much.

Landing on the platform was supposed to be a case of drop the jerk-ass off and leave. That is exactly how Anakin's mind had planned it, and he was determined to see it through. Until, that is, Master Yoda and a squad of blue guards arrived. The three of them were hardly down the ramp when it became apparent that this was more than Anakin wanted it to be.

And though they had been greeted most kindly by the old sage, Anakin had this foreboding feeling about him. "Master Yoda," Anakin staggered a moment, "I wasn't aware we required an escort." Yoda nodded and motioned towards the blue guards.

"Insist this, the chancellor did." He informed his protegee, "Very interested, he is, in what Senator Clovis has to say." His old eyes then darted towards Clovis, "Many questions about you, there are. Intrigued, we are, of your return." Clovis nodded to the old master, and was about to say something when someone else caught his eye.

Clad in brown and a white short dress was the most beautiful warrior he'd ever seen. In many ways, she reminded him of Padme, but more petite and doll-like. She stood stoically, her brown eyes in their direction with a look of absolute shock. But her disposition did little to take from her radiance.

"I... thank you Master Yoda." He attempted through his drooling, trying to remind himself that there was only one woman for him. "And... if you don't mind my asking, w-who is your company?"

All eyes soon turned to the doll standing beside the small green creature, but her eyes never left their target. And it was very apparent that she was staring, almost lost, at Padme Amidala. Yoda also noticed this, as he shrugged an ear before replying, "This is Mrs. Jaina Darklighter. She is currently serving as Senator Organa's body guard, per request of Queen Julia."

Anakin raised a brow, and stepped forward, "Senator Organa?-"

"-attacked by an unknown assailant, he was." Yoda cut him off with the wave of his hand, "Instrumental, Mrs. Darklighter and her husband were in protecting him last night and well trained Force users are they." Unwittingly, Anakin's eyes turned back to Padme for a split second. She looked absolutely downtrodden that one of her best friends was in danger. Anakin offered her sympathy through his eyes before finding Master Yoda once more. The old sage also took note of this uncharacteristic glance with a raised brow. Then he turned and meandered away.

"Is he all right?" Padme almost demanded, following into step as Yoda proceeded back into the building. Her petite frame floated beside the small master, her slightly damp curls falling lower than normal. Try as she might to dry her hair before Clovis had woken up, she just couldn't do so with her mane. She'd felt lucky enough just to get all the oil and grime Anakin had rubbed into her hands, arms and neck off when she washed herself up in the small refresher sink. But these details did not bother her now, nor did she care if anyone noticed.

Bail was on her mind.

"Numerous bacta treatments he has had and assistance breathing he needs." Yoda informed them. "But assured us of a speedy and complete recovery he has." Padme let out a relieved sigh, even as 'Jaina Darklighter' drew near her, staring as though trapped in a trance.

"I suppose I need to stop by the hospital then." Padme mumbled as they neared the doors. The whole while, Clovis could not help but notice that Mrs. Darklighter did not offer anyone but Padme attention. In fact, she also seemed interested to keep her distance from Skywalker. Every time he stepped closer to her, or closer to Padme, Darklighter stepped away. It was actually fascinating to watch and he wondered if he'd found an ally in disliking the man.

"Present at this meeting, Senator Organa is." Yoda informed them carefully, "Concerned, he is. Concerned, we all are." And with that, the doors of the Chancellor's office slid open, revealing many different faces Clovis knew from his time working with the senate. _It almost feels like ages ago._ He realized, relieved to have this chance.

"Rush Clovis!" Palpatine greeted from behind his desk, "Such an honor to have you back with us. Please... Please, come in."

Had Luke not been suppressing his presence, the whole room would have felt his happiness at finally seeing his father when the doors swung open. Since arriving in the past, part of him wanted simply to run up to the man and just... hug him or something. Be his son. Revel in the years he'd been deprived.

Despite knowing better in Palpatine's presence, Luke kept glancing at the man through the corner of his eye, amazed at how much he truly did resemble him. There was hardly a feature unaccounted for on Luke. But what thrilled him most was all the light he felt emanate from Anakin. Yes, there was darkness there, but even Luke had that... all be it he buried it deep and fought to release it. And yet this man was his _father_, he was real! Not some bedtime story he'd been assuring himself of since a few months after Bespin. Around that time, he realized that his father had actually grieved when Luke fell from the bannister to his supposed death. Around that time, he knew his father loved him in some twisted way. And, around that time, he resolved to save him from the darkness.

But not everyone felt so strongly about him. In fact, as opposed to her predicted gloominess, Leia seemed far more in awe of something else.

_What is the matter?_ Luke asked from his post behind the airchair ridden Senator Organa. Beside him, Leia turned and smiled at her brother.

_She's here!_ She replied as she stood beside Darth Vader with her best poker face. Though she could already sense the darkness inside of him, small and festering, her eyes could not waver from Senator Amidala. And she felt that staring in awe at her was a lot better than shooting daggers through her eyes at the young Vader.

Luke's eyes followed hers to the senator, his brows raised as he appraised her in reality, finding that her pictures did not do her credit. Especially in comparing her to Leia. _You're sure?_

Leia unwittingly nodded, fighting tears, _Her presence feels just as I remember her._ Together, Luke and Leia reveled in the shock and glee of, at last, finding their biological mother. Neither could help but stare at her, to drink in her features, her aura, as corrupted with sadness and confusion as it was. Luke marveled at her kindness and beauty, while Leia found herself reliving her precious memories from just after birth. They'd been mere dreams that she'd preserved mysteriously as a child, something Luke suggested she'd done using the Force without realizing it.

Then her eyes turned to Vader, as though finally remembering he was there, and she fought the urge to glare at him. Part of her was certain he was the reason her mother was so tortured inside.

It was hard for her to be angry at the sight of him, as there was very little that didn't remind her of Luke. He was considerably taller and younger, with slightly darker and wilder hair. When she looked just a bit closer, she could see that he had blue eyes like her brother, though his were more ocean colored than icy. What didn't surprise her about him was his all black and brown wardrobe.

_Remember, _Luke's voice called to her gently, _He is as human as we are. Vulnerable to darkness._

Leia hissed, _he's teeming with it very deeply. I think only we can really sense it right now._

There was a pause from Luke, who stared at her, forlorn, across the room with his icy blue eyes. _But you are just the same at this moment._

_-Because I am around him!-_

_ -He cannot control you._ Luke reminded her as he took a slight step her way, putting a reassuring arm around her, _Only you can. Do not blame him for your own darkness. _Leia knew his order was final. Worse, she knew he was right. Vader had done such horrible, unforgivable things to them, that she was ready to execute him where he stood. But, deep down, she knew that would only make her just like him.

The last thing she wanted.

"So," Bail's mechanical voice boomed through the room, "Let me get this straight? You show up, claiming of some grand scheme in the Banking Clan and expect us to believe you? A traitor?" Clovis did nothing to defend himself straight away, so Bail continued his reprimand, "Do you think we've forgotten how, while you sat in on our very committees, you were funneling money into the Separatist Foundries that have destroyed our homes!?"

Clovis then decided to step in, "I ask no pardon for my crimes." He sounded sincere, even felt that way to the Jedi in the room, except maybe Luke and Leia. And, of course, Anakin Skywalker. They all were inclined to think the same thing. _Snake._

The echo in their minds had all their eyes searching the room in confusion. But, despite this peculiarity in the Force, Clovis continued onward, unabated. "I simply ask for the opportunity to do what is right. The Banking Clan is on the verge of collapse." he then took out a data-transponder and pressed the button, "Someone amongst the highest ranks of the Muuns has been siphoning out credits, leaving the vault empty." As his data showed the statistics and numbers, and Palpatines eyes scanned them too quickly.

_He's so behind this!_ Leia realized with chagrin, _That clever, devil of a-_

_ Keep your emotions in check!_ Luke ordered her from beside her with a voice she'd never heard him use before. Luke's voice was always kind and gentle, never urgent or... angry? _We have too many of our kind here. Too many damned good ones too!_

_ -But!-_

_ -If we want to keep everyone safe, we cannot blow our cover! _Leia sighed as Palpatine spoke, though what he said, she could not recall.

Padme Amidala, however, could. "I was the one that retrieved the data from the vault."

"And your findings?" Palpatine inquired.

"I believe that Senator Clovis is correct." She told him firmly, her voice never wavering. Leia smiled at her. In her youth, her father had told her stories of this senator, proclaiming her a hero amongst the free nations. He provided her with all sorts of articles and tales, that Leia often believed that Padme Amidala was some sort of hero. Fancied her the Senator Supreme. And Leia wanted nothing more, while growing up, than to be just like her. _She's just as I'd imagined!_ Leia decided with a far off gaze._ And now I know she's our mother!_

She felt Luke's blue eyes turn towards her in humor. _I wonder how they will get together..._ He smirked, using their bond too look through Leia's eyes at her hero and feel her awe. He knew nothing of this woman outside of the few articles he'd read and he wanted to better understand Leia's delight that this woman was their mother. This was a rare time where that intrusion was welcome. _Do you think-_

_ -I don't think so. _Leia decided quickly, _She's way out of Vader's league and doesn't seem the least bit interested in him._ Luke tried not to snort. _What?_

Luke waited a moment while more deliberations were made by various senators, _You act so certain that our father is deplorable. Surely she had to love him at some point._

_ Personally,_ Leia snapped at him, _I'll wager we're the product of rape._ Luke sighed audibly, his eyes never leaving his sister. She turned her's to him and realized she'd crossed the line. She'd hurt her brother very deeply. After all, he loved Vader.

"Senator Amidala." Palpatine suddenly said, "I would like you to work closely with Senator Clovis, here, and oversee the matters involving the Banking Clan." He stood and added, "This matter most distresses me, and I hope that you'll conclude your investigations quickly."

_Did you feel it?_ Leia wondered.

_Did I feel it?_ Luke chided her, _Master Yoda felt it._ Both of them turned their gaze towards Anakin, who stood with rage manifesting in his eyes. They watched him with worry, Luke's heart filling with compassion as Leia's filled with disdain. _He's so afraid._ Luke realized, surprising his sister, _He's afraid of losing her. I... I think... maybe..._

_ No._ Leia decided, _Padme Amidala is my hero. I know everything about her._ She watched as the groups filed out of the room, Palpatine leading the way with Clovis while Amidala and Skywalker leaned to the back behind Organa and Yoda. _There is no way she'd stoop to falling for a monster like Vader. It's against her code._

_ But father wasn't always Vader. You've even said that yourself._ Luke reminded her. He watched as everyone filed out, noting how stiffly his father was meandering in the direction of Amidala. _And even if she isn't in love with him,_ Luke realized with a raised brow,_ this does show how easily Palpatine played with our father's emotions. He knew exactly where to stab him to get that reaction._

Leia had to agree with that remark.

_Ever the puppeteer._ She realized with a frown,_ You're right... I'm getting confused... wanting to hate him for so much. He's just one man. One lost and confused man._ She went so far as to rub her eyes, trying to push the emotions she was feeling away.

They waited patiently for Amidala and Skywalker to leave, so that they could speak candidly around one another in their usual twin pattern of spoken and unspoken words, but that didn't happen. It seemed that the two forgot that Luke and Leia were there, as once everyone else was out of earshot, they turned and started arguing. Anakin grabbed at Padme's arm and pulled her back.

"What the hell was that about?" He demanded in near fury.

"What was what about?" She replied in clear confusion.

Anakin crossed his arms and stared at her, "Accepting the position? Working with Clovis?"

With brown eyes wide, Padme stepped back and brought her arms out in defense, "Anakin! This is my job! What else was I supposed to do?" Anakin scoffed.

"Uh- say no!" he told her bitterly.

"I can't just say no!" She informed him while stepping forward to eye him sternly, "The chancellor asked me to do this. This is for the good of the republic!"

Waving his arms out to the side, he retorted, "Well, I am asking you not to!" She stared at him incredulously, words failing her as she deliberated what to say next, "And why is everything about Clovis for the good of the republic anyway?"

"I can't believe we are having this conversation." Padme decided, "Every time you do something for the good of the Republic, its celebrations and awe... but with me it's life or death! You can't have that double standard Anakin, no matter what visions you might be having... Our relationship won't survive it!" then suddenly she froze. Her eyes fell on the forms of two young warriors standing by the window in Palpatine's office, staring out the energy panes with the man's arm over the shoulders of his small wife. _Did they hear us?_ She couldn't be certain, the way the man's back was to her. _I hope not._

But, knowing there was nothing she could do if they had, she returned to Anakin full force. He too had also stopped, noting the others across the room "Anakin, I am doing this. It is my job and I want to."

"And I demand that you do not."

"Demand!" She almost launched into that one, when suddenly Anakin's eyes darted up. She turned just to find Clovis rounding the corner.

"Coming Padme?" he asked in his debonair tone, his eyes suddenly falling on Anakin. She turned back to the general for a moment, her eyes steeled at his.

"Yes Rush." She told him as she turned about, "I am." When she approached Clovis, he instinctively put his arm around her, his eyes darting back to the very angry Jedi standing in the doorway.

But, even as Anakin watched them walk away, he could do nothing about it. And the frustration was eating away at him. _This is her choice._ He reminded himself,_ and it is my job to make sure it doesn't get her killed._ Somehow the twins heard that with raised brows and turned toward another. Apart from their bewilderment in hearing their father's internal outbursts, they were overcome with their own reactions to it.

Leia's eyes were watery as she looked into Luke's crystal blue ones. His were certain and there was a smile on his face as he gazed back into her chocolate brown ones, "I think we just answered a big question." He said aloud.

Leia shook her head, refusing to believe that, "We don't know for sure. This could just be a fling or something." Luke eyed her once more, sensing her pain.

"I'm not saying they're married or anything." he pointed out, "But it is nice to know we come from love and not hate or violence." Leia nodded in hearing that, fighting the almost-tears this adventure seemed to enjoy forcing her to shed. She wasn't the type to cry, not once in her life really. She even endured Alderaan's destruction without a singe tear falling, but that didn't mean they hid away from the surface.

_That seemed, well,_ Luke fumbled a moment as he put his comment into carefully arranged words, _natural, logical and human._ All Leia could do was sigh as her brother kissed her forehead and walked away. He wanted her to digest that on her own.

* * *

**Author's Note/Commentary: I certainly hope that was as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write it!**

**We are now hitting the point where a lot of my own elements are entering the story. Please, please, please review on what you think of my chapters! I can't stress enough on how much I want to hear from you! There is a lot going on and I'm curious as to what stands out to you, as I am trying to write in lots of surprises and interesting twists. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I find it inspires me to keep writing and I have loved every comment I've received thus far! And many thanks to those who've shared already!**

**Also, please vote on Shmi's story on my profile page.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12: Troubled Feelings

******Author's Note: I won't be able to post this weekend, so I am giving you a short chapter now. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**

******_Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun._**

* * *

Shadday Potkin felt her long before she attempted to gut her. Yes, she'd sensed the Sith cretin a mile away and was stalling until back up could be found. To her good fortune, the ever friendly Master Wezz was strolling about the large courtyard before the temple. Her dress billowed in the wind as her red hair tossed about. It was as though the terrain knew a classic showdown was coming.

Through the Force, they prepared for the onslaught, and through the Force, they felt the battle begin.

Anhilis was swift on her toes, and Potkin found herself wondering how Jaina Darklighter could even hold her ground. The woman was strong, angry and fierce.

Even as two Padawan came to aid her, the two masters fought to maintain the fight. Four on one seemed like decent enough odds, until the Togruta Jacen Darklighter fought appeared out of nowhere.

With a slight growl and anger in his eyes, he ripped through one of the Padawan learners. A young Cerean with great promise by the name of Bagu-ni-Wadi. He giggled slightly as he did this, stepping back to bring the others into the challenge. They did not see him pull the boy's keycard to his hand subtly through the Force.

But as they readied themselves to fight, shots suddenly rang out.

"Get back you seperatist grunts!" shouted a small group of clones, their blasters raised as they did, "Or get dead!" Potkin sighed with relief as she recognized their leader, Captain Rex, at the forefront. He was poised with blaster raised, his dyed blonde hair glowing slightly in the sun's light.

Though the Mirialan Anhilis raised her blade with a crooked grin, the Togruta shuddered and stepped back. He grabbed at her green arm and shook his head, his eyes no longer holding the darkness that they'd once held before, but rather a great pain.

"What?" She hissed at him.

Devaro sighed, "I'm not ready to face him yet." Was his answer before he dashed off into the crowd.

Frustrated, Anhilis followed suit.

As the small group of clones approached the three remaining Jedi, Potkin caught her breath. That was the second time in two days she had to face those monsters, and she felt lucky to survive both. "It's like I'm the target or something." She commented as she and Wezz stood up from their battle stances.

"Are you two all right Generals?" Captain Rex suddenly inquired, helping the other Padawan, a Mon Calamari, to his feet. Both nodded.

"Thanks to you, Captain Rex." Wezz suddenly admitted, "The male seemed most afraid of you." Rex shrugged, even as his associates smiled at him, namely Fives and Tup.

"I don't know about that General Wezz." He replied, "I'm just glad your all right."

The two woman nodded and turned to the fallen Padawan with pain in their eyes. Sadly, not everyone was all right.

* * *

Palpatine had to hand it to himself. He knew exactly how to play that Skywalker into a tizzy. He'd likely burst soon, filled with rage, and drive away the one he loves, only to come begging for her forgiveness. And then the cycle would begin anew. It would drive him darker and darker, until all that remained was a Sith.

He prided himself for this situation, as it was a very simple project. Infuriate Skywalker. Let him feed into his insecurities. Sooner or later, Amidala will walk away and all that will be left is his jealousy and rage.

And the dark side.

But, as he walked down the hall with his entourage at his side, the Jedi having already headed to their own speeder, he had to deliberate a few things. For the first time in the two days since the mysterious light erupting in the Force, his sharp mind was clearing up and he had to catch up with the rest of the galaxy on current events and problems.

The first being the source of that great light. _It felt just like Skywalker,_ he reminded himself as they moved towards the grand hall, _Only he felt so much more powerful than he is now. What this could mean... too many factors to consider. Perhaps I need to escalate his transformation._ He deliberated a bit more as they finally entered the grand hall, many senators already in place to hear the announcement prompted by Rush Clovis's return.

_But I felt that same power in the room with him,_ Palpatine decided, as he wasn't sure before, _Only so much smaller, like it didn't want to be found. And Skywalker was no different then before... what about that conference was different then the times before?_

And, as his mind muddled over that, he found himself still thinking most lustily about that Jaina Darklighter. She looked even more beautiful today in her more Jedi-like garb than she had in her civilian clothes, and he had to wonder how the black of the Sith contrasted with her porcelain skin. It astounded him that she preferred white when her husband seemed comfortable in the black he was always wearing. Yes, he knew he was in lust, as he had no heart to love with, and he knew that this desire to have Jaina would soon become an obsession of his if he didn't vent these feelings somewhere. He only hoped Grievous would be successful in dispatching her stoic husband.

But, despite this extraordinary desire to own the woman, something in the Force warned him of her. Something that whispered into his ear the name _Skywalker_, and he could not understand why.

_I need more bacta treatments,_ he realized as he grimaced, _my mind is still not operating optimally and I cannot risk this lack of insight much longer._

* * *

Luke followed the floating chair of Senator Organa for quite a while. The senate meeting involving Clovis had just finished, and Luke had had his first taste of the Old Republic politics he'd been hoping to avoid. Despite being adamant against the man, Organa had held his tongue through the meeting. He cast his vote, disliked the outcome and was now heading home unhappily. Luke could even sense how worried he was about his friend Padme. The man, it seemed, was as determined as Leia. Not that it surprised Luke._ He'd had to have been just to raise her._ He thought with a grin.

Leia had been left on her own for a while. Luke knew how prideful she was and that she needed time to process all they'd learned about their origins on her own. Desperate as he was to help his twin, he knew distance was what she needed more than ever.

"Mr. Darklighter?" Bail suddenly inquired, Luke stepped forward to be level with his chair.

"Yes, Senator?" He asked back gently, finally allowing his guise to slip just a little bit. Palpatine had left the building immediately after the hearing, as had most of the Jedi that had stuck around to see the verdict. He didn't have to fear anyone spying his presence as it actually was.

Bail glanced at him with a slight grin, "I must admit, it is nice to have you here, but..."

"... Yes, Senator?"

The man's hesitation had Luke worried, but not as much as the way his smile faded, "I... I don't want you guarding me..." Luke paled when he heard that, as did his smile. Bail noticed this and attempted to correct himself, "At least... I don't feel as endangered between you and all the various guards I've got... I'd rather you guard someone else."

"Someone else?" Luke tried, his brow furrowing.

Bail nodded, "Senator Amidala." he admitted. "Her current responsibilities worry me. She's... a very good friend. But she has a tendency to get in over her head." Luke nodded, understanding.

"Jaina is quite fond of that herself." He replied with a smile, making Bail relax some. "But... I am afraid that it is Queen Julia's will that determines where I go. Not my own." Bail seemed to frown at that.

But Luke understood his worry. He sensed something off about that man, Clovis, and wanted to ensure that Amidala was safe. But he was worried that guarding her now might put her on the top of their enemies hit list, if they were still being followed. At the moment, he could not feel Tano's presence around the Senate Hall. And that made him a bit more relaxed.

"Do you think she'll be all right?" Bail wondered, his voice strangely calming to Luke. It was like being near his father and hearing that emulator had brought back those proud final moments on DeathStar II. Moments that made him want to mourn once more, and celebrate.

"I know she will be." Luke assured the man.

* * *

Leia had taken quite a while in trying to maneuver a cheap, feasible means to get to Naboo. She was mostly frustrated and returned empty handed, irked that her brother was not able to collect much in the form of credit from still slightly suspicious Queen Julia at the hospital. And their tenure guarding Organa for the last five days hadn't allowed for that either. He'd merely provided them with suitable clothes that would last them a few days worth. His token of gratitude.

Truth be told, she was tempted to steal from someone, but knew Luke would frown upon it.

Though her brother had his dark moments where he would bend the rules, he tried every other step first. It had been that way with Jabba the Hutt when they'd rescued Han. Lando believed the plan was mostly his, but Leia knew better. She'd watched the way Luke subtly changed everything around under Lando's nose.

Lando had been sent in first to scope the place out and to provide a means of evacuation should anything go wrong. The droids were there to be support, especially Artoo, for if Luke's presence was needed. Leia and Chewy had arrived, and were meant to be the official rescuers, but Jabba had been smarter than that. As soon as Leia had taken a calculated risk in freeing Han from carbonite, their original plan failed. And Luke, having sensed her distress, became their only means of escape. And his arrival meant that Jabba's palace would fall.

And it did. He killed almost every person on Jabba's skiff save for Jabba himself. Leia had seen to that slug personally.

Back then, he'd been a bit darker, edgier even*. Taking risks, killing, and stealing from others didn't bother him whatsoever. And at times the subtle angry gleam in his eye scared Leia. She'd wondered what he was becoming at odd moments when he seemed the most stoic and dangerous, but soon noticed that Luke was not only battling some hefty demons, he was conquering them.

No matter how heavy the emotional hurdle, he always came back to her with light in his icy blue eyes and a smile across his face. Something he attributed to her presence in his life.

And when he revealed to her their paternity, she understood those demons and began fighting them herself. But she was not as resilient as her brother in defeating them. That was her challenge here, and her performance a few days ago indicated that she was, perhaps, more like her biological father than she'd realized. She'd chosen to hide away in a diner they'd passed on the mid-levels of the commercial district while she pulled herself together, hating herself the more for passing up on this precious time with Bail. Hours later, she chose to find a means to get to Naboo to watch over her mother when she inevitably traveled there.

So, having been stuck out all night, she returned to their room in Bail's apartment with shoulders sunk and eyes red from her efforts. She was tired and was amazed that she even remembered how to get back to Alderaan's senatorial suite.

Between every connection she made, Leia had to creep into an alley to fend her tears off once more. Emotions were overtaking her and all her Force training could do little aid her as she dealt with them. The state she found Bail Organa in was traumatizing, as though the Force had a cruel sense of humor and wanted to make some bizarre point. And standing next to her biological father was irksome and troublesome, mostly because of how apparent it was that she truly, deeply hated him. Luke's disappointment in her control was also disheartening, as only he and Han mattered to her in this life. And, lastly...

_Finding my mother_.

Truth be told, she was more distressed about that than anything. Her heart was breaking in two seeing the woman alive and knowing that a cruel fate awaited her. _Our father..._she found herself grumbling internally,_ he killed that beautiful, kind, loving woman! Our mother!_ Those were usually the thoughts that had her breaking down. She felt such a betrayal as a daughter that Vader could be so cruel in taking that woman away from her. Away from Luke! _How could he have done such a thing?! Didn't he at least love us enough to keep her there for us! He _died_ saving Luke, after all!_

While Luke was content to meditate through the night, monitoring the whole house, she returned to him a mess. And he knew she'd arrive that way. He'd given her space to sort things out, while he continued to be the strong one, to be the rock for her, as she had when he'd faced these kinds of crises. His own battle with the identity of his father had left him more than disturbed at first and he wanted nothing more than for his sister to acquire peace with the idea. Peace for the first time in four years.

He didn't even have to verbally invite her into his embrace, she crawled straight into it and let him rock her back and forth until she fell asleep, being brotherly and fatherly all at once. _An awkward combination_, Leia realized as she started falling asleep,_ but a good one right now._

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry that it's a short one this week, but I've been excessively busy AND I wanted to get a sampler out for Shmi's story. Check it out and vote please. Also, that bit about Luke being darker and edgier in Jedi is totally in reference to the book. I won't spoil it, but it does give more insight into how Luke feels through that episode.**

**Also, thank you to those who began reviewing last week. I really appreciate it! And those of you who haven't yet, PLEASE REVIEW! I do want to know what you think of this story, especially as the plot begins to get more complicated. Good or bad, please tell me what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13: Illusions

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for**** fun**._

* * *

Bail Organa had hardly waited a day after the announcement of Rush Clovis's appeal before inviting his friend over for a hearty brunch. Hell, he didn't wait a minute past the 20 hour mark. Like an obsessed fool, Bail dialed the HoloNet receiver's floating, golden screen with a pale complexion and worry in his eye. And it wasn't his injuries that had done that.

Truthfully, he was feeling much better. Most of his skin had recovered and patches of hair were starting to spring up that had been burned off by the mustard gas. Even his breathing wasn't so strenuous. _Oh how glorious Bacta can be!_ He smirked to himself as the door whished open. The sound distracted him a moment, and he almost lost what he was doing.

"Senator Organa?" Jacen called from the back, he'd just arrived from the kitchens, likely having sensed Bail's concern, "Is everything all right?"

Bail turned about, and smiled despite his respirator mask, "Just fine." His altered voice boomed. "Just forgot the number, is all." Jacen nodded and smiled.

It seemed, that at the sight of his wide grin, Bail had to widen his own. Of all his staff, he found that he'd grown to like young Jacen the most. Which was strange for only knowing him a few days. He was about Bail's age, truthfully, so young wasn't so fair, but there was a light gleam in his eyes that seemed to make him more youthful. Though the scars on his face and the sternness of his movements dictated he'd seen much in his young life, Bail found him to be more genuine in his kindness than any other. Yes, it was easy to like this Jacen Darklighter, _almost too easy._

Especially because of the accident. Whereas most of Bail's staff avoided him or shown discomfort at his peculiar state, Jacen seemed completely unfazed by it. Bail's own wife Breha was more aghast at his appearance, though she did her best to hide it. In fact, Jacen seemed to be calmed by the constant clicking and puffing of the respirator, and Bail's altered voice never made the man jump. So he had to ask, "Jacen, did you ever meet someone in my particular... state?"

Jacen turned to him and shrugged, "Once, why?"

Bail turned his chair about, his brown eyes wide with curiosity, "Who?"

"Well," Jacen swallowed, his eyes searching the room. _Finally,_ Bail realized without a doubt, _discomfort_._ He is human after all._

Taking a deep breath, Jacen admitted, "My father, actually. Though..." he paused a moment as the HoloNet receiver activated and began to dial, "his injuries make yours seem miniscule."

Bail nodded, "How so?"

Jacen again sighed, his eyes no longer sparkling with kindness, but rather stained in a sadness Bail hoped he'd never have to understand, "His entire body was covered in first degree burns. He... had to spend the rest of his life in a support suit."

In hearing that, Bail understood the pain in his eyes. His own father had not passed on well, attempting many miracle treatments that did not pan out. In the end, all there was was the life support system, which was more of a maintainer of basic functions. There was no life without activity, and he'd had none.

Then there was his wife Breha. She was also recently made unwell, spending most of the time inside of their chambers with as many doctors and healers as possible. Every day, his mind wandered home to her, wondering if she would be well enough to see the next year. Praying that at some point they could start the family they so desired. He'd learned yesterday of her second miscarriage, and it seemed that this one had taken twice the tole on her as the last. Part of him blamed himself for that, assuming that his own injuries had caused the stress which terminated the pregnancy.

"I'm very sorry to hear that." Bail replied as somberly as he could as the call finally went through. _But at least I understand your comfort around me._ He realized with slight relief.

A moment later a blue form of that blasted golden protocol droid appeared on the screen. "Senator Organa!" Threepio called ecstatically, "How good of you to call! I do hope you are feeling better, we've been so worried."

Bail nodded and then replied, "I am well, thank you Threepio, is your Mistress home?" The droid turned its head slightly.

"I'm afraid she is in a meeting with Mister Clovis at the moment." He told Bail with a clear hint of disappointment in his voice, "Is this an urgent call? Is there something I can do?" Bail always marveled at how the droid seemed poised to help in any way he could.

So Bail took advantage of that for once, "Yes, I was hoping to invite the Senator for brunch this morning, if you don't mind." Threepio made to nod and stepped away from the screen hastily, likely having noted the lateness of the time.

Chuckling to himself, Bail turned about to chat with Jacen about that peculiar droid, "Threepio is something else," he started as he turned, but he could not finish the statement simply because of the look on Jacen's face. He was completely dumbstruck. Jaw down and everything. "Is everything all right Jacen?" Bail inquired, to which Jacen shook off his surprise.

"No, I'm fine." He admitted quickly, "I'm just not used to a droid with such... personality." To that, Bail chuckled.

"Yes, he certainly has that." Bail replied with a grin. He really enjoyed Jacen's honesty. It was refreshing and reminded him a lot of his friend Padme in some ways, "A friend of Padme's gave him to her some time ago and... well, he's an excellent talking piece if nothing else. His programmer must have had a sense of humor." To that Jacen chuckled, as if understanding the depths of that statement more than he'd like.

Around that time, Threepio returned with the senator in tow.

"Bail!" She decreed with a wide smile on her face, and, like Jacen, she did not appear phased by his unfortunate state, "I'm so happy you called." Bail smiled and nodded at her. "Threepio tells me that you wish to share brunch?" He nodded once more.

"Today in an hour if it suits you." he replied. Padme smiled, but he could read something in her eyes that sounded like she'd be declining soon.

She turned her eyes off screen, likely to that of the treacherous, thieving, traitor Rush Clovis. _I need to consult my dictionary for more adjectives with the letter t,_ Bail made a note to himself mischievously. But Padme could not see that glint in his eyes, in fact, her own were plastered with worry."I'm afraid I am currently elbow deep in projects... Perhaps another day?" She offered, to which Bail sadly nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." he retorted before he was struck with a brilliant idea, "We still have to discuss your summit on Alderaan in a week. There are some minor details I need hammered out and Breha's going insane waiting for me to ask you." He noted Padme's all knowing smile at that remark. She knew Breha well and was accustomed to her sometimes hazardous approach to large projects.

"In the meantime, with so much going on..." he paused as Padme leaned forward some to view him better on the screen, her blue form elegant and kind, "I'd like to send a couple friends of mine over to guard you for this and the next day. Their names are Jacen and Jaina Darklighter, and you should expect him in about an hour."

Padme actually seemed taken aback, about as taken aback as Bail noted Jacen was in the mirror of his office. They both had their jaws down and were likely searching for words to deny Bail his request. But they already knew he'd hear none of their retorts. It actually amused him how similar their expressions were, as though they were related or something. "Jacen and Jaina Darklighter?" Padme stuttered, "Here?... But didn't Queen Julia send them to you?" Bail nodded.

"And now I am sending them your way." Bail pressed, his booming voice starting to reverberate with his enthusiasm. _Genius Bail, absolutely genius._ He knew neither to could refuse this change at this point. "Till next time!" And then he hung up the phone before she could begin arguing with him.

Now that the matter was decided, Bail scooted himself towards the desk with his floating chair and began to sort through today's papers. It was some time before Jacen worked up the nerve to question him, having stood by awkwardly as his icy eyes searched the room for a clue where to start arguing with the man. "Senator Organa." He started formally, Bail looked up at his blue eyes, which were now gray with worry, "I must protest. I am only assigned to you this last cycle, and I want to see it through."

Bail chuckled a moment, shaking his head. It was strange to hear him chuckle, almost like the sinister laugh of a villain. "I know that, which is why I am so sure about this." Again, Jacen stiffened.

"You... you are?" He wondered aloud, seeming younger by the minute.

Bail nodded, "Yes, I am. Besides, my wife is in the hospital. She just left critical, and I am far too injured to continue here." Jacen stepped forward and eyed the senator suspiciously, "If I stay, I'll keep working and the doctors are already mad about that. I highly doubt anyone will try and finish me off on Alderaan. Not with my entire royal guard around me." Jacen nodded, still in a stupor.

"I... don't feel right about this." He admitted, and his bewildered voice certainly supported his statement.

But Bail could only smile, "Well, the nice thing is, you don't have to. This is an order." His voice was full of more finality than even Leia had worked up in her life.

* * *

The funeral was perhaps the greatest opportunity to sneak back into the temple. No one had thought to deactivate the Cerean's pass, and so Anhilis was able to walk right through the front door. A slight mind trick left the overseer unaware, and the halls were cleared for the ceremony.

So she was alone as she crept into the empty hall of the Jedi archives. Not a soul was present, not even a security droid. Anhilis smirked to herself, suprised with how easy this task was. Returning would hardly be a problem, especially when it was decided which candidate she would target for elimination. She could not help but chuckle at this fact as she approached the open stairwell that led to the small storage room she'd arrived in. Open, save for the cautionary tape strewn across the walk way, but she passed through that easily enough.

Returning to the ancient, secret room was not her ideal scenario, but Demantis had insisted upon it. It seemed that the Jedi were already combing through the alcove in search of treasures, as the shelves were bare and now well dusted. The tapestries and paintings were gone and all the old scrolls absent. It was a very sad looking room now, that seemed lost without its holdings. Had Anhilis a heart, she would have likely felt guilty for stealing more.

Instinctively, she set her gear down on the old durasteel table, some small drills and chisels. The table clanked from the weight, but that did not bother her. No, she was all concentration.

Finding the correct orb, the one made of ebony colored wood, would be challenging enough, but her master's master had assured her she'd find it. Carefully using the Force to feel the intense pull of the Betrigist, she ran her hands along the walls and found the single brick that hid the device. Then came out the tools.

A moments later, the small orb fell free of the wall, glistening like a jewel. Anhilis smiled as she eyed the device, wondering if it would make a fair pendant before pocketing it for safe keeping. Then, as instructed, she pulled out another orb, a small marble shaped gem that looked to be made of obsidian or dark glass. Demantis had insisted that this be placed inside the temple, as it was a device that would spread his influence there, but Anhilis didn't think much of the small item. And she began to believe in it less when he said it was crystallized darkness. But still, his satisfaction would bring her one step closer to her goals, so she slipped the small ball into the space between the walls and smirked as she heard it land a few bricks below on a suspension beam.

Then, she pulled her things together and began her meandering towards the speeders. By the time that anyone would notice her presence...

As the ceremony let out, she pushed her way through the crowds of Jedi to the entrance. Not one Jedi payed her any mind, even the Padawan she'd attacked the day before. No, they were far too lost in grieving to even notice the shadow of a Sith sneaking by. That, and their egos played a large role. The Jedi still believed their temple to be the safest place in the galaxy. _What fools._

Even the Koran master with the dark skin and the stern face only paid her a second glance and nothing more.

By the time she saw the rising sun, it was too late for any Jedi to do anything. Including the single Padawan she caught in her clutches near the speeders, knocking the girl out on her way to freedom. They drove off together towards their hideaway in the senatorial district, completely undetected by any. Anhilis grinned at her success, the Betrigist was hers, the black orb was safely tucked away in the heart of the temple and she now had a new Padawan.

Demantis had told her to acquire a power source after all.

* * *

The Padawan that had been killed was a sweet boy, one that Master Yoda had grown fond of over the years. In fact, he'd grown fond of all his students, even those that misbehaved or grew rather dark. But it pained him to know that this boy, Bagu-ni-Wadi, had died so needlessly. He'd been courageous to assist the two masters, but, perhaps, it would have been better that he remained on the sidelines. _This war is enabling too many of our younglings, _Yoda realized with a frown.

So, after the funeral pyre had been lit early that morning, the large group of Jedi disbanded, heading their own ways.

Yoda watched as everyone moved about, Ki-Adi-Mundi talking with Shaak Ti, while Mace Windu helped return the Younglings to their training. And, naturally Skywalker was moving about at his usual pace, in a rush to get somewhere.

The green sentient smiled as he watched him, his mind's eye reflecting on the meeting the day before with the Chancellor. _Darklighter._ He deliberated, sensing something between the two. Though the others in the room had not felt it, he had noticed the mental tie between the three of them. Blood was a factor, of that he was certain, but how much was the question.

He could feel that there was a powerful connection between Jacen Darklighter and Anakin Skywalker, but he could not determine what it was. He'd spent all night meditating on it and could only come to one conclusion. A single, perhaps ridiculous conclusion.

But the only one that made sense.

As he stood by watching the brazen warrior, he sensed the approach of two other ones. "Master Yoda?" Came the tentative voice of Shadday Potkin. He turned to find her backed by Wezz, whose almost auburn hair was flaring in the sunlight behind her, even as the shadow of a Mirialan Jedi passed her by. Yoda didn't get a decent look at the woman, but he shrugged it off, figuring it was one of the visiting Jedi of Master Altis.

"Something to say, you have?" he inquired, trying to be gentle, but knowing full well what the question was.

Potkin sighed a moment, trying to gather her words, "Why have I been removed from Senator Organa's investigation? The council sent me notice this morning... I'm not being sent into the field and I don't understand this decision."

Yoda nodded, his eyes turning towards Skywalker a moment as he turned around the corner. He really wanted to talk to him about Darklighter, but felt that wasn't his place. So, instead, he turned back to the other aspiring master before him, "Positive the council is, that you, the target of these assailants are." That news baffled both women, who had been long time friends by now.

"M-me?" She wanted to know.

Wezz stepped in beside her, "That's absurd Master Yoda! If they were after Shadday, why target Organa in the first place?" In hearing that question, Yoda turned to Potkin for the answer. And he got it, based on her shrug and deflated expression. Wezz must have understood it too. "I- I see..." She said at last. There was a pause as the hallway cleared, leaving the three of them alone.

Yoda merely sighed, "Attatchment, a dangerous thing it is... makes a target, the ones we love..." he then stepped towards the hall leading to his quarters, the two women following him close behind, "Desperate to protect them, we may become, which is why, forbidden it is." Both women nodded, understanding.

But even Shadday found herself wondering, _is it so wrong to love from afar though?_

Yoda sighed, having heard her query through the Force, "Not wrong, it is... but dangerous." He then opened the doors before them with the Force, smiling to himself as he considered what he must say next. He was anxious to interview Shadday Potkin. He had been since seeing her preliminary report. "Stay in the temple, for your safety, you will." He then turned and motioned to his office, "And, questions of mine, you will answer."

Potkin's jaw dropped as she glanced over to her friend, "What questions, if you don't mind my asking."

Yoda shrugged, as he minded a little. His eyes turned to Wezz a moment, showing his discomfort, before returning to Potkin, "About Darklighter, I wish to know." To his surprise, Potkin didn't seem the slightest bit astonished by this request.

With determination in her eyes, Potkin informed the ancient, "I will tell you all I can."

* * *

An hour or so after Bail gave 'Jacen and Jaina' away to Senator Amidala, the young man chose to visit with his sister while the senator arranged both his departure and their travel. He was tempted to ask for help to Naboo, but figured that would create too many questions.

So, as he peeked into the room he shared with his sister, Luke attempted to sense if she was awake without causing too much stir in the Force. He looked inside the room, their separate twin beds both rumpled, but one still had a person under the covers. The room was dark, but the light blue made the sun's light glow a bit in the space from under the blinds. "Lay?" he called carefully. She offered him no response.

And then he grew frustrated,_ what's the point anyways? They all know I am a Jedi._ With that thought, he allowed more of his power to show through his shields and determined that Leia was still asleep. And considering her emotional state, he hadn't the heart to wake her.

Moments later, he rejoined Bail Organa, who appeared to be in a great mood. "The doctors tell me Breha is responding well to treatment." He announced as Luke returned, "Perhaps at some point, you and Jaina can come meet her. Maybe Padme will take you with to her summit on my planet." Luke smiled and nodded.

"I know Jaina would especially like that." he replied earnestly as he sat down in one of the armchairs before Bail's desk. Curiously, he watched Bail work with a raised brow, "Any way I can help? I hate being idle."

With his mechanical voice, Bail chuckled, "Somehow, I surmised that about you a while ago..." He was about to answer when his buzzer alerted him to a guest. Pressing the button, Bail responded as kindly as the contraption would allow him, which wasn't very much, "Yes?"

"Good morning, Senator Organa." Came the familiar voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Master Galia and I were hoping to do a second interview, if you aren't already busy. May we come up?"

Despite the smile on his face as he listened, Luke felt his attention be pulled away by the Force. His mind's eye showed the Mirialan assassin from before, running through the Jedi Temple, and part of him felt as though he were witnessing the past.

Luke sensed her anxiety. It drew his eyes to the window in the direction of the temple like a bolt of lightning. It changed his demeanor so much, that even Bail sensed his mysterious transformation.

One moment, he saw a doe-eyed man with a gentle smile trying to calmly turn Bail's plans around on him, and the next... It was like staring into the eyes of a Krayt dragon, poised to strike. He stared out the window with such intensity, his eyes seemed to turn into a whiter blue. _Who is this man?_ Bail wondered as he watched 'Jacen' stalk over towards the window with the gait of a predator. With the way he moved, Bail was almost reminded of Anakin Skywalker, who often was as deliberate with his motions. "Is something wrong?" Bail wanted to know.

"Your assassin was at the Jedi Temple for some reason." Jacen told him as the door slid open to reveal two figures. One was a Jedi male human with the familiar red hair and a full beard, and beside him stood a Jedi female Tholothian with dark skin. But Jacen didn't react to them, choosing rather to scan the view carefully with both his eyes and the Force. He stood poised to attack, a predator on the prowl.

The Force was telling him something else now.

"Hello again!" Obi-Wan Kenobi called to them both, suddenly made mistrustful thanks the glimpse of 'Darklighter's' presence in the Force at the moment. It was a deep connection, filled with power that seemed to emanate from the man in slow waves. Waves that were both comforting and disconcerting at the same time. Especially in how familiar it felt.

"Good to see you again, Obi-Wan." Darklighter replied automatically. "Master Galia."

While Adi nodded to Jacen with some uncertainty, Obi-Wan changed his stance to cross his arms over his chest, suddenly feeling invaded upon. "Strange that you know me so well, seeming as I've only met you once before." The man had no retort, he was solely focused on finding whatever he was in search of in the window. "At least, well enough that you would address me so informally." Again, no reply.

Adi Gallia stepped forward and glanced out the window herself, curious as to what the man was so intent on. She chanced a quick look Darklighter's direction, noting his stern eyes and angular profile. _He looks familiar, and yet not_. She realized, though how she could not place him bewildered her.

"Senator Organa." Darklighter suddenly instructed, his voice full of command, the youth lost, "We need to relocate you for a short while." Bail gulped in hearing that.

"Will I still make my flight?" He wanted to know, scooting his chair up towards Jacen slowly. But suddenly the gears started to grind and the chair failed to move. Confused, he looked from his steering device to Jacen's outstretched hand, which likely was using the Force to hold him in place.

"I will do what I can." he assured the man, his eyes never leaving the window.

And it was then that Luke saw it. The figure looming in over his vision, the dark shadows he saw in the Force all led towards a small outcropping just in firing range of this window. But only if someone used a high grade cannon. And someone was aiming a cannon.

But rather than allow the man to fire, Luke reached out with the Force and brought his astral self to stand next to the man, generating a small illusion much like a Force ghost. This wasn't Luke's first implementation of the dream-walker trick while awake, and certainly wouldn't be his last. At least this time he had his clothes. When the Dagoyan had first taught him this, he'd had some pretty embarrassing first attempts.

"What are you up to?" He asked the man, who panicked and started shooting at Luke wildly. Luke merely used the illusion to its full extent, disappearing and reappearing himself all around the platform. "I asked you a question." Luke ordered as he forced the weapon out of the man's hands and then proceeded to break his shooting hand. It took some time for the human male, writhing in pain, to react to Luke picking him up by the throat with the Force. He levitated in the air, writhing like a broken puppet.

"Just following the bounty." He stuttered with a harsh voice from beneath his helmet as Luke's torture became unbearable. And Luke found himself wondering why he was behaving in such a way. _Vader would have done this,_ Luke reminded himself as he shook off the unhealthy feelings. Instead, he let the man free of his grasp, dropping him to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and knelt down to stare at him at eye level.

"Who's bounty?" The icy eyes asked the man.

* * *

Anakin stormed angrily through the temple as he tried his damnedest to hide his feelings. Or at least minimize his presence in the Force so no one knew just how peeved he was at the moment.

He'd woken from perhaps the best night he'd had in months to be ushered out the door by his wife. _Why?_ He grumbled internally,_ Because lousy Rush Clovis was coming over for breakfast! I can't even enjoy breakfast in my own house!_ He then begrudgingly inserted, _That disgusting traitor has no right to even be in my house!_

That left him feeling even lousier, as his stomach was grumbling something fierce. He was headed to the mess hall to find something remotely interesting to eat, not that anything compared to a good, home cooked meal. _One of the many things I look forward to and HE has to take it away! That lousy kriffen-_

And then he felt it, that strange tingling that ran down his spine. Something dangerous was here, and he found his eyes roaming the halls in search of it. The chill he felt through his body rivaled the strange, syrupy feeling from a week ago. It was like a cold wind rushing through his very soul.

But, as his eyes scoured the halls, he saw nothing.

So he turned around to resume his route only to bump directly into a strange man. He was fairly average in height, meaning Anakin was looking down at him, and had a mane of dark, curling hair. His eyes were a peculiar red hue and his skin seemed to be too pale for him to be alive. "Hello, Anakin." he said with a sharp, toothy grin, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Startled, Anakin glanced around, only to finally notice that the halls had been cleared.

"You needn't worry about anyone else," The man informed him, starting to circle him in that familiar, predator-like amble. Anakin felt the full force of the impact of one of his trademark moves, and fought his own trembling. _Is this really what I'm like in interrogation?_ But his thoughts were halted by the grumble of the mysterious man's voice. "This isn't real... an illusion actually. One of my agents had entered this... tacky establishment and thus brought enough darkness for me to reach you." He smirked and stepped back, appraising Anakin with a wicked grin, "And I've wanted to meet Shmi's bastard for some time."

Anakin gulped, "H-how do you know my mother?" Then a thought occurred to him, "Are you Sidious?"

The man laughed loudly at the question, exposing his Togrutan-like teeth, "Me? A Sith? How ludicrous!" He then paused and began walking down the hallway, motioning with a hand that Anakin must follow him, "The Shaetin feed on the Sith, on the seeds of darkness they sew into galaxy. We rely on the Sith as much as they rely on our darkness. But they are still bottom feeders to us, we the very top of the food chain. And I am a well fed Shaetin. So much so, that I could even visit you inside this haven of light, flickering on and off as it may."

"A Shaetin?" Anakin replied as he stuttered, "What is that?"

Pausing, the Shaetin halted, his smile slowly fading, "It is an extreme affront that your own mother did not tell you of the Shaetin... A Skywalker she may have been, but it is good she was disowned."

Stepping forward with interest, Anakin inquired, "Y-you really knew my mother?" The Shaetin nodded slowly, his gaze focused.

"Ever since she was a little girl," he admitted, turning towards Anakin with surprisingly gentle eyes, "She was the most beautiful woman of our lands... and she betrayed us. Lied to us. Committed the worst of sins." Stepping back, Anakin shook his head.

"Then you did not know my mother." The Shaetin smirked at him wickedly and stepped forward to close the gap Anakin strived to create.

"You say that now, because you do not know the truth about who you really are." The Shaetin informed him as he reached a hand out, "You do not know the wickedness that birthed you. Your fatherless heritage is a lie." He said that with a reassuring pat on Anakin's cheek.

"I... have a father?" he echoed in awe, to which the Shaetin nodded slowly. Perhaps it was his convincing stare, or the fact that Anakin always wanted a father, but he was about to believe him. But that was before he began shaking his head, knowing full well that "No... my mother would have told me. She said I had no father!"

The Shaetin chuckled once more, "She was ashamed of him, of who he was to her, as she should have been." The man paused before adding, "He was a talented man... our greatest general... my greatest enemy."

Shaking his head, Anakin stepped back, "If that is the case, I am glad. Your darkness stinks like a rotting corpse!" The Shaetin chuckled once more, following Anakin again in this dance for personal space as they moved about the empty halls.

"Your father was a great monster all his own." The Shaetin informed him, "An ungrateful brat, much like yourself. I let him live in my house and he destroyed it. Burned my lands to the ground and left it in ash and salt. And he corrupted your mother into such heinous acts, I can't even stomach mentioning them. It was a relief to kill him. A true justice." Then he added with a wicked grin, "Now his form dwells in the land between times, trapped, unable to rejoin the Force. A punishment he well deserves." Anakin's jaw was dropped; he'd never heard of any of this before and was inclined to believe it was all a lie or hallucination.

Sensing this, the Shaetin smirked and added, "You do not believe me?... Fine." He then stepped back, "Return to your mother's home on Tatooine and find the grave beside her own. You will see then, that I speak the truth."

Anakin growled at him and lunged forwards, only to hit a cloud of dark smoke as the cretin manifested behind him in a dense fog of gas and fire. He was laughing. "When you have seen all that you need to, simply call for me and I will gladly give you the tale. Call for the Shaetin Demantis!"

And with a rush of wind, the Shaetin was swept up into a cloud of angry weather and eruptions. Gone.

Anakin watched the scene before him in shock, unsure of what to do, his mind running through so many things at once. But, even as he sought out Demantis, he felt the Temple return to normal, sensed the Jedi in his peripherals and sighed. His mind was trying to comprehend everything, trying to place whether hunger had given him quite a mirage to behold or that he was truly targeted by some mysterious nightmare. And he couldn't come to any reasonable conclusion.

He was lost and he knew it. He needed a friend now more than ever and what scared him was he could not think of someone he would trust with this. Not Yoda. Not Obi-Wan. Not even Padme. Were he really the son of a monster, he was not sure he'd have the heart to tell her. Though part of him truly believed she wouldn't care, he didn't want her drawn into this mess while still dealing with that slime Rush Clovis.

Unsure of what else to do, the young man decided to resume life as normal. But as Anakin resumed traveling down the halls, he realized that he no longer held an appetite.

* * *

Obi-Wan could only watch in awe as Mr. Darklighter, who insisted he call him Jacen, took complete control of the situation. He'd felt his astounding connection to the Force, though he didn't understand what he was sensing. It was like Darklighter had been cloned, and had gone after the assailant with a ghostly version of himself, though that, to his knowledge, was impossible.

And now, he was ordering around Organa's guard like he'd been running the show for years. "He must have a guard stationed near him at all times. Have a security detail install various sensors in all his primary rooms and keep them monitored for any anomalies regarding toxic gasses or parasites." Each man nodded as they listened, "And check in with me daily. I don't want a single cycle passing without an update or I will personally come to Alderaan and make all your lives miserable." Bail chuckled at that, his modified voice booming as he did.

As the guards saluted the strange Dagoyan, Bail could only smile towards his friend Obi-Wan, "I'm almost sad to give him up, but Padme needs his skills more than I do."

Adi Gallia was the one to reply, "An assassin attempts to kill you, and you insist that a premier bodyguard is better stationed at your friend's house." Bail grinned a little, not that anyone could see it, "Were I Queen Breha," Adi added, "I'd have killed you a long time ago for such foolishness." Bail chuckled.

"Well I can't say she hasn't tried."

Jacen turned about and faced the two Jedi-Masters and Senator Organa, "I don't like this." He reminded the man, "But I will respect your wishes so long as you respect mine." Bail nodded.

"I'll stick to your regime." He promised before scooting out to follow his guards to his ship. "You'll see me again soon. I'll mention to Padme to bring you to the summit. It would be nice to reunite around my wife's cooking, should she feel up to it." He then paused and sighed before adding, "May the Force be with you!" Jacen chuckled and then nodded to his friend, replying in kind.

Once Bail was gone from the office, Luke turned towards the two masters. "How far are you in collecting information regarding these assassinations?"

Both frowned a moment and then glanced at one another before Adi replied, "Not near anywhere, in fact. It seems that the beneficiary has hidden themselves away good." It was now Jacen's turn to frown.

"That's a shame." He told them before turning about, "I was hoping that the Jedi could turn this around." It was Obi-Wan who took offense to that, much to Adi's surprise.

"We aren't nearly as incompetent as you Dagoyans tend to believe."

Darklighter stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly to see them, "I meant no offense, Ben," he told him, not catching his slip, "I honestly have a lot of confidence in the Jedi... things just always seem to go faster when I'm directly involved." Obi-Wan stepped forward, this time his face more perplexed than any time before.

"How do I know you?" He insisted in bewilderment, "You feel so familiar."

Luke sighed. He knew this was the master-student-bond at work. "You don't." Was all he told him before proceeding towards the door. He could sense that Leia was now waking up. Apparently Luke's handling of the recent situation snoozed her Force-alerts.

Smiling because he knew his sister would have time enough to see Bail off, Luke did his best to ignore the intrusive stares of the Jedi master's behind him.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry about the delay in posting this. I had two all-nighters this week and pretty much was the equivalent of a zombie yesterday. So I settled for a Korra marathon instead. I tried to post, I swear, but it would not have been as polished had I been successful.**

**I've been trying to build Luke up as this illusion master, so I hope his abilities don't seem too far fetched. You should totally REVIEW and let me know what you think of all this! Like, tell me how you think Demantis fits into the picture or something. I love predictions and I love follows, favorites and REVIEWS! And a big thanks to all of you who do give me feedback! It makes my week to read your comments!**

**SO PLEASE REVIEW!**


	14. Chapter 14: Family Relations

**50 reviews! Thank you so much to those of you who made the extra effort to give me feedback! This chapter is dedicated to you all, and I sure hope it was well worth the wait!**

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

Pestilis watched her master as he opened his blazing red eyes and smiled. "It's done." He told her while standing up, his broad shoulders shifting much like a lion stalking its pray, "Skywalker has taken the bait. He will now begin exploring all the lies around his birth, and in the process, discover just how disturbing the truth is."

With a furrowed brow, Pestilis approached him and crossed her arms, not noticing the return of Anhilis with the small Jedi Padawan over her shoulder. "If you don't mind my asking, why bother?"

Demantis smirked some, "Have you already forgotten how much darkness Darth Vader forged into the galaxy?" Pestilis shook her head, "Good. Then you know he must be kept alive and turned sooner if possible. Should his son become imbued with the strength of the Drajdai, I will need all the power I can get to challenge him. The best way to add to the Chosen One's transformation is to shatter his sense of self."

Pestilis nodded, stepping back, as she trusted this man whole-heartedly. It was Anhilis and Devaro who chose to challenge him, and usually behind his back, "You still haven't told us what this Drajdai is." Anhilis pointed out as she dropped the child to the ground like a bag of sand. The jostle made the child grunt, and she even began stirring.

Even while Pestilis shot her a warning glance, Demantis merely stepped forward and scowled at her. "Because you have no reason to know what a Drajdai is... you are no Advorosian! You do not have the blessings of either the Shaetin or the Drajdai. You are inferior!" It was clear that Anhilis did not like that response, as she bit her tongue and bowed respectfully to the powerhouse before her.

Pestilis sighed in relief while seeing this, not wanting to lose a lackey so quickly. She knew her master's temper to be foul at times.

"Anhilis." She hissed at the woman, "Place the child in the holds and feed it something decent. It needs to be sufficiently sustained to survive the endeavor, should you need to journey through time again." She nodded and strode away, dragging the young girl by her blonde hair as she did. Pestilis sighed and shook her head, smiling at the cries of the child as she did.

She really hated Jedi.

"My apologies master." She mumbled to him, "Anhilis tends to think a little highly of herself."

Still in a sour mood, Demantis merely shrugged, "Just make sure that bitch leaves my grandson alone... I want him alive." That comment was like a slap in the face to Pestilis, who merely turned to her master as he strode off towards the darker parts of the hideaway to recharge. Though powerful, the light of stars still drained him.

Standing in awe, the old witch struggled to even associate Lord Demantis of the Shaetin with Anakin Skywalker. _His grandson!_

* * *

Tentatively, Luke knocked at Senator Amidala's door. Leia stood beside him, her arms crossed as she frowned_. _Despite her desire to meet their mother, she hated leaving her adoptive father after another attempt on his life. And she had made that point very well known to Luke before their arrival in Bail's limousine. The only thing that calmed her was Luke's suggestion that attacking Bail was merely to distract them from their true mission. A mission that led them here.

The driver had been kind, and even slipped them a parting gift from Bail they had yet to open, but that did little to silence the hot-headed young woman. Even as she passed small silver box from one hand to the next, she was still chewing her brother out. But, Luke was able to eventually get her to understand that with their limited cover, their hands were tied.

While she huffed beside him, he sighed as a familiar protocol droid opened the door and, for once, he didn't have to force the smile on his face. Leia was shocked into a stupor.

Threepio stood before him in his shiny gold plating, leaning through the door curiously, "Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter, welcome!" He stepped aside to allow the two in, "We have been expecting you."

"Thank you, Threepio." Luke replied kindly as he nodded to the droid. The golden Threepio seemed to beam at his consideration, as expected. "Where might we find the Senator?"

Pointing in the direction of a great sitting room, Threepio directed him, "Senator Amidala is waiting for you in the living room. She also has another guest, Mister Clovis of Scipio." Then Threepio leaned in, "And where might you be from, Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter." Luke turned to him, and almost admitted of his origins on Tatooine, but Leia caught him in time.

"Bardotta." She told the droid, "We are servants of Queen Julia, and honorary Dagoyan clan members."

Threepio took the lead for them, planning on announcing the 'couple' properly, as any good protocol droid would do, "Ah, Bardotta. I have not yet been there, but Representative Binks insists it is a most lovely place. He's quite close with Queen Julia, you know." Luke nodded, not quite sure of whom the droid was speaking of. Leia merely smiled, knowing the name quite well thanks to her father. "Representative Binks is also here, though he is working in Mistress Padme's private office." The droid gestured to the room to the left, where the door was closed. Luke reached out and sensed a lively presence in the Force, bringing a smile to his face. "Such a peculiar man he is, how my Mistress puts up with him sometimes..." Threepio added.

And that statement brought Luke to want to answer a question that had been plaguing him since his surprise at seeing his droid on the screen. He and Leia had shared Threepio since they'd been reunited on the Death Star. It was a natural choice for them, though, at the time, they did not understand it. But how they came to possess the droid was a giant question to him now. Or better yet, how Leia's relative, Captain Antilles, came to possess it.

"Tell me, Threepio," Luke wondered aloud as they neared the sitting area, "How long have you been in service to Senator Amidala?" Threepio paused and turned around to address Luke properly.

"Well," he started carefully, indicating that he was processing several orders at the same time, "I have only worked with the Senator for one and one half years." Luke nodded, prodding the droid onwards. But he didn't catch that gesture, it was something Threepio had to account for in the future, as Luke and Leia weren't always direct with words. Many times they chose an ambiguous nod, something Luke believed they got from their father. This Threepio hadn't generated those subroutines with them yet. _So much for that theory._

"And how did you come to be in her service?" Leia inquired gently as a giant creature with floppy ears exited the office behind them.

Threepio paused to regard the sentient with a nod before answering, "Master Anakin built me. I used to work with his mother on Tatooine, but when she passed, he felt I would best service Mistress Padme and gave me to her." Luke and Leia's eyes went wide: they knew to be sentimental about the droid, somehow, but didn't realize the why.

"I... I see." Luke mumbled, trying to regain his composure, "As in Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes, sir." Sensing a false close to the conversation, Threepio turned and entered the main room to announce their presence. Luke and Leia both stood in silence as Threepio listened in to Amidala's and Clovis's conversation for an opening.

"Psst!" Came a voice from behind them. Luke almost jumped, forgetting the presence for a moment. And Leia was hardly any better. "Generals Skywalker?" Now Luke jumped.

He turned about so fast, the sentient couldn't even see his movement. "Woah." He gasped, "Even faster than urs dad, you is." Luke just stared at him, blue eyes like beacons in a fog. Beside him, Leia paled as she stuttered to try and find words, turning to her stunned brother for help that wasn't coming.

"How do you-" suddenly she heard Threepio begin his announcement in the other room, and that stopped Leia's inquiry.

The creature chuckled, his bug eyes staring at them most certainly, "Queen Julia isa me sweetie. Shesa told me aaaalls abouts you, Generals Skywalker and Missa Skywalker. Shesa ask-ed meza to help yous." Luke stared at him with icy blue eyes wide, to which the creature smiled wider, "Meza must says, yousa lookie a lot like urs dad." Luke flushed a bit, not used to being regarded in comparison to his father, _well, positively, anyway._ He heard Leia chuckle alongside him.

"I thank you." Luke nodded with a smirk, "But I must admit, in my time I haven't had the opportunity to meet you, Mister-"

"Binks." The creature smiled, "Mesa Jar-Jar Binks, Representative of the Gunguns an da Naboo." He leaned forward and jabbed at Luke's shoulder, "Long time friend of urs dads I iz." Again, Luke smiled at the genuine creature.

"It is a pleasure to meet you then." He then gestured to his right, where Leia stood, "This is my sister, Leia." In hearing that, the Gungun shot up and stared at her with a wide grin.

"So beautifuls are yousa Miss Leia!" He told her jovially, but then paused to regard her once more, "Ehrm..." he cleared his throat, and made to ask them something as though a child sharing a deeply guarded secret, "But yous musta been telling mesa, is yous Padmes kids toos?" Both paused and smiled at the Gungun, who took the opportunity to add, "Cuz yousa lookie a lot like Padme." They chuckled.

"We believe so." Leia told him with her version of Anakin's crooked grin, "Unfortunately our birth was an absolute mess, and we don't know for sure exactly who our mother is... We wanted to go to the Naboo system and investigate her, but lack the finances and a ship..." Jar-Jar once again stood upright and entered a clear thinking position, his hand holding his chin as his eyes turned upwards. Then, as though an epiphany struck him, he decided something grandly.

With a furrowed brow, Luke took the opportunity to inquire of his sister, _Why are we airing all our dirty laundry on this guy?_

Leia chuckled and shook her head, _My dad said he's a reliable friend... if you get past his quirks._ She then nodded towards him_, And we certainly need more friends._ Luke nodded, agreeing with his sister, though his observations of the Gungun made him wonder if this particular friend was a wise choice. His external chanting alone was quite unnerving.

He was soon to recant those thoughts, however.

"Eisa can take yous to the Naboo!" he informed them both, "Boss Lyonie wantsa mesa to return anyways." The twins smiled at him gratefully.

"We thank you for your help." Luke replied, bowing respectfully to the Gungun. Leia followed suit with a slight laugh, charmed by the man's enthusiasm and optimism.

Jar-Jar merely swatted at the air, "Nah problemo! Anythings for Ani and Padme's kids!"

As Luke nodded to his new friend, Threepio returned from the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Darkligher, if you would follow me." The golden droid motioned, "The Senator will see you now." He then led the way into the small dropped room, with Luke, Leia and Jar-Jar at his heels.

The room was large and grand, furnished in modern design with reds, oranges and bronze. In the center were two large couches facing one another and a small, glass coffee table. It seemed that Amidala and Clovis were having a small snack, as a plethora of foods lay spread out on the table.

Luke had to admit, he saw the appeal in Senator Amidala. She reminded him a lot of Leia, only just a bit taller. Her chocolate brown hair was weaved into various braids, making her seem even grander as they bunched together on her head. And she had a wide, genuine smile as she sat conversing, so wide it spread to her eyes. It took a lot to keep Luke from staring at her bewildered. _So familiar, yet not._

"Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter." Amidala stood and nodded to them both with a wide smile, "You've met Former-Senator Clovis?" To that they both nodded, bowing slightly as the situation felt appropriate.

"Yes, Senator Amidala." He told her carefully, his eyes to the floor, "We accompanied Senator Organa to yesterday's meeting." He then rose, realizing she wasn't keen on being treated as royalty. His eyes also darted quickly to Leia, who was still lost, marveling at the woman she knew in her heart was her mother, even without any concrete proof.

Luke found himself wishing for that connection, even if it also stopped his tongue.

Amidala merely nodded and smiled, attempting to break the proximity of Clovis by stepping over a bit to speak earnestly with them both, "I understand that you are to be in my service for the next cycle. This isn't common practice and I confess, I am a bit perplexed. Is... there any particular reason why Bail sent you to me?" To that Luke and Leia both shrugged, their eyes falling unwittingly on Clovis slightly.

And the man didn't miss that, "I see, so they are to spy on us!" Clovis suddenly decreed, standing up in frustration. With heavy breaths, he began pacing the room, his arms crossed behind his back, "To think I'd hoped for asylum! This is ridiculous!" Luke could not help but roll his eyes. His childishness even pulled Leia from her stupor.

Stepping forward and feeling her tenure as Senator rise inside her, she stared the man down with her dark brown eyes, "You commit a major crime and expect instant reprieve the moment you have something useful to offer?"

Clovis stopped and stared at her in surprise, having not expected the young and small 'doll' to have some venom in her.

"That is quite immature on your part, Clovis." Leia finished sternly. Luke had to stifle a laugh at his sister's behavior. He loved it when she became 'Senator Organa,' simply because those who did not know her did not expect her proverbial claws. The stupid look on many of her 'victim's' faces were a favorite topic between him and Han. But Clovis wasn't speechless for long.

"This coming from a little Bardottan Wanabee bodyguard!" He spat.

Leia chuckled with a wry grin much like her biological father's, "If that is the best insult you've got, I have no worries about any of your other confrontational attributes." She then turned to the bewildered Senator Amidala, "If you would be so kind, m'lady, where are our quarters?"

Stunned one minute and then embracing the change of topic the next, Amidala turned swiftly and led the way, "Follow me, Mr. and Mrs. Darklighter." She suggested in a very shy voice. Based on her tone, she was very clearly emotionally exhausted. Though, from what, the twins could not fathom.

Instead, they offered to console her, "Call me Jaina." Leia replied as she followed closely behind her, with Luke at her heels.

"And please, call me Jacen." Luke added with a laugh as they rounded the corner, "You've a lovely home."

Senator Amidala turned with a wide smile and nodded to them, "Thank you... It took some time to make it feel like it was mine. My predecessor had a thing for heavy curtains and gunmetal." The twins chuckled some, their eyes falling on various rooms, fantasizing which would have been theirs had fate been kinder. _I call the sky blue one with all the rocks inside, _Leia teased him from her position behind Amidala. _You can have the green one with that heinous yellow rug._

Luke fought his chuckle, _But I wanted the blue one... you... poodoo._ He did hear Leia chuckle at his mock retort.

It did not take Luke long to realize that Clovis was behind him as he followed Leia at a decent pace. He could feel Clovis's angry gaze as he did, but still the Jedi held his tongue. _Which is more than father could have done._ Luke realized with a dark grin. He could just picture the darkened form of his Sith father strangling the man, his respirator barking out several obscenities in the process, and immediately regretted his glee at such a vision. _Why does this guy bother me so much?_ He considered in exasperation.

Again, Leia chuckled, intruding on his thoughts,_ Should I start with the adjectives in Huttese or Corellian?_ Luke smirked, relieved he wasn't alone in his dislike of the man. Instead, he turned his attention back to the apartment that could have easily been his home as a boy.

The halls around the main living area were narrow and lined with reds and purples. In the setting sun, Luke was convinced, this apartment must have looked like a bronze lined ruby, which may have been what Amidala was going for. He noticed how most of the rooms, save for the two guest rooms they'd passed, were lined with orange, and theorized it must have been her favorite color. _Or perhaps the color is closely related to her home world._

After a moment, Rush ducked into a room, likely the refresher, leaving the three alone.

"I'm sorry about that." Amidala suddenly called from where she stood in leading him. "Rush has been under such stress, he's..." she paused as she considered the right thing to explain it, "he's not quite sure how to handle sudden unknowns right now." In hearing her pitiful plea for her friend, _boyfriend?_, Luke had to smile. Many things about her reminded him of Leia, but this was not one of those instances.

Leia never made excuses for other people; it was do or don't.

_And speaking of..._"That is hardly something you should apologize for." Leia told her earnestly, _Right on cue,_ Luke thought as she continued on, "And, Senator..." She paused and Amidala turned herself about to face them both. Both took that moment to regard her chocolate colored eyes, that glowed just a bit lighter than her hair. The more they were around her, the more desperate they were that she be their mother. They were starting to love her already. Her doe expression and her kindheartedness had won them over the first time she spoke to them. "Do not worry about us." Leia continued. Her earnestness must have reached Amidala, as she smiled and continued to lead the way.

They were only meant to stay one night, but both speculated this would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

* * *

Jar-Jar Binks, well, he wasn't sure what to make of the day, to be honest. Most of the time, he sat and watched as the two children of two of his_ bestest friends in da whole galaxy_ ambled around the apartment aimlessly. For the most part, he noticed that they kept their eyes on Rush Clovis. _An good planen!_

The one pretending to be called Jacen, _Julia sayz hesa called Luke,_ was perhaps the most vigilant. When he was working, Jar-Jar could practically see Anakin in this man. His gait, his stare, he even had his glare down, and that was saying something. When Ani wanted to, he could give the best stink-eye in the galaxy. And it was apparent that Luke wanted Rush Clovis gone.

_Hesa bita different do,_ Jar-Jar noticed as he sat down across from the young man. And indeed he was. Jar-Jar knew well enough that Anakin would not be able to sit near as still as Luke, who appeared displeased to some extent, but was not teeming with nervous energy. It was rather strange watching this man, who seemed to have a calm that only Padme could maintain.

_An speakings of Padme,_ Jar-Jar turned his head to watch the small warrior woman called Leia enter the room. She was carrying the drinks that one of Padme's handmaidens had gotten her. But, much like Padme when she wasn't working, Leia stood and followed Sabe, rather than let her serve. All Jar-Jar could see in Leia was her likeness to Padme. Until she sat down, that is.

The frown she wore there looked like something Anakin would do when he wanted to make known his feelings. It wasn't his stink-eye, like Luke's expression, but more one of his extreme scowls that usually made everyone nervous.

Though much of her physical beauty came from her mother, he could spot all sorts of traces of Anakin in Leia. In fact, those traces were what made Jar-Jar a little unsure in his guess that Padme was their mother. But he also spotted evidence of Padme in Luke, so he was really leaning her direction as much as the siblings were.

_Whadda shame,_ he realized as he watched the two interact with the politicians, _to beez growing up and not knows your mudder...I hope itz Padme. Shesa really wantsa families anywayz._

He sat back as Padme shuffled over some of her DataPads, trying to find some information relevant to the conversation Jar-Jar didn't care to hear. It was strange, watching her around them. He'd been sitting with Rush and Padme most of the morning, before taking a call from his beloved Julia about the now infamous Skywalker siblings headed this way.

Padme had been distant and uncomfortable. Most of the time she spent trying not to look at Clovis, which concerned Jar-Jar greatly. He'd been around when the two were an item, and can understand that discomfort, but he missed the more relaxed behavior between the two.

Now, with these travelers, she was smiling wide and seemingly more interested in talking with them than Clovis. Which Jar-Jar noticed was getting to the man in a bad way. She turned to each sibling, taking turns asking about their history, and Jar-Jar kind of wished he'd been listening too. Just a little bit anyways. _No one should knowzes dezes future. Makus a mess it does._

"So, you were stationed near Bardotta when the queen took you in?" Padme asked of Luke. He nodded and smiled.

"Master Altis had sent me there after one of our usual disagreements."

Padme frowned, "Should I ever meet him, I'll have to ask about these disagreements."

Luke chuckled some, leaning forward in his chair to finally drop the aggressive act, "I wouldn't." he admitted as he glanced towards Leia, "He would likely tune you out the rest of the conversation. My name stresses him some. Jaina's too."

This time it was Clovis who inquired of him, "I'd had the pleasure of meeting Master Altis on Cato Nemoida once. He..." his eyes turned from Luke to Leia suspiciously, "He did not strike me as the type to hold grudges." There was silence as the twins fought to create a workable story.

So, Jar-Jar did what he could to save the day, _"_Yousez mustive really done a bo-bad ding." Leia chuckled at him as Luke sat back with a smirk.

"I'll say." Leia smirked proudly as her story fell into place, "Jacen's a bit of a rogue at times, which is oh-so-charming, and he... well, crossed the line in Master Altis's eyes while questioning an entire bar for information."

Luke rolled his eyes with a big grin, "We both know that wasn't me." Leia shook her head, her eyes turning upward. Jar-Jar was amazed at their charisma while acting impromptu. _Mesa shoulda asked them 'bout diz later._

"If you like our current arrangement," Leia informed him haughtily, "It certainly was you."

While Luke sat in a stupor, Rush and Padme laughed out loud at his face, with Padme shaking her head. When he finished laughing, Rush inserted his own opinion of the mysterious Darklighters, "I see who wears the pants in your relationship."

When Luke merely smiled and shook his head, Jar-Jar could not help but join in the groups humor. Once the aggravation disappeared, Luke's personality literally became identical to one person: Padme. And Leia, well, she clearly held the heart of a Skywalker.

* * *

Master Yoda was trying his damnedest to listen in on the conversation, but his mind was in many other places at the moment. Namely at the meeting with Rush Clovis a couple days ago.

_That light was clearly a Skywalker,_ he realized with a frown, _Another perhaps..._ "Another?" Yoda said aloud, his mind completely immersed in his thoughts.

"Master?" Shaak Ti inquired from her seat, leaning forward in earnestness, "Are you all right?" He couldn't see the concern in her brown eyes, nor the way she tilted her head to hear his heart better with her Montrals.

Instead, Yoda sat forward and gazed about the room, namely at one auburn haired warrior, "Master Kenobi?" he then turned his attention to the woman seated next to him, "Master Gallia?" he asked, to which they each nodded nodded, "What can you tell us of Senator Organa's plight?"

Kenobi shrugged a moment, surprised at the sudden topic shift from Grievous to Organa, and allowing Gallia to take the floor, "Not much. We know that a woman by the name of Anhilis is organizing the bounties on him, and that she is relentless that both he and Queen Breha die. Fortunately, Queen Breha's medical situation on Alderaan has left her under the best supervision she can get. Senator Organa is returning home to her as we speak, accompanied by an armed guard."

This time it was Windu's turn to ask questions, "And what of his new bodyguard?"

Kenobi answered him there, "Jacen Darklighter is a bit of an enigma." he began, "He demonstrated an adept use of Force techniques I've never seen before, and showed that his power easily rivals anyone on this council." Windu frowned in hearing that, sitting back to deliberate on those facts while Master Yoda leaned forward in interest.

"More to share, you have."

Kenobi nodded, "After his demonstration this morning, we did a little more digging. There is no Jacen nor Jaina Darklighter registered as a couple, save for one entry at the senatorial district's General hospital, and there isn't even a listing of them as individuals on any system for that matter. It doesn't mean they aren't from Hutt or Wild Space, but I'm beginning to wonder just how falsified their identities are."

"So you are saying that Queen Julia lied to us? To Bail?" Windu inquired, surprised more than anything. Her reputation was far better than lies and deceit. Kenobi nodded, his eyes showing his doubts clearly through their gentle blue lens.

"I can't imagine what she intends to do with this lie," Galia told the council, "But she clearly has no intention of these formalities amounting to anything in the senator's best interest, save for keeping him alive for some reason. This isn't an olive branch to the republic."

"You think she means to spy on Organa for another reason?" the holo-image of Ki-Adi-Mundi inquired from his blue chair near Yoda.

Kenobi shook his head, "We have no idea what she's up to, truthfully." The whole room was silent in hearing that, each master attempting to silently meditate for a quick answer. That is, until Yoda spoke up.

"How certain are we, that an only child, Knight Skywalker is?" Obi-Wan actually seemed stumped by the question.

"As certain as we can be." He replied carefully, "Anakin does have a step-brother on Tatooine, but all his blood relations are, to his knowledge, dead." Yoda closed his eyes and meditated on that, but he could not escape his feelings.

"So... not possible it is," Yoda inquired, "for an older brother, him to have?" Again, Obi-Wan's jaw dropped as he considered this.

"Not necessarily." he admitted woefully, "Why do you ask, master?" To that, Yoda sighed.

"Met another of Skywalker's caliber in Darklighter, we have." He started carefully, "In the temple, with his wife, he was. A bright light in the Force. So strong, he was, that almost certain I am, Skywalker's brother he is." In hearing this, Master Windu sat back and pondered. He meditated lightly on the topic, but found himself unable to disagree with Master Yoda.

"He does resemble him in many ways, Force-signature not withstanding." Windu admitted, suddenly very intrigued that Skywalker's potential brother wound up on Bardotta. But that was after comparing notes on how stubborn both men were. Yoda nodded with a slight smile on his face. "And you believe he is capable of such powerful light?" Yoda again nodded, sighing in the process, as his old age required of him, "But there is no way to make him a Jedi of our order at this point."

"Not need him for that, we do." Yoda decided with his grin great, "Master Kenobi." he decided with a smile, "After this conference, confer we must. Potentially good, this discovery may be, for young Skywalker. With this, finally grow into a master, he may."

Obi-Wan turned his eyes back to the green Grandmaster, who's skin was now browned by the light of the setting sun. He wondered just what the creature had in mind for his former Padawan.

* * *

Padme was relieved as she watched Rush drive off with the investigative task force; so relieved, she could not help but sigh. She'd been waiting all morning for Rush to depart, having disliked his general demeanor the whole time. Though it didn't help that she'd been fighting with Anakin that morning over breakfast. Fights with him always wiped her out.

_Not that dealing with Rush is any better..._ She reminded herself.

He'd been speaking candidly to her about stopping corruption, and she believed in his genuine efforts, but his intrusion was unwelcome. He'd practically forced their meeting this morning, taking precious time away from her and Anakin. And, if she knew her husband, he was still stewing about that.

What's worse is she didn't know how to get rid of him without becoming suspicious. He took every obligation she threw at him and turned it into some grand team effort for the day. Were it not for Jacen and Jaina being there, she would have likely been thrown into a dangerous tizzy.

So, to rebuild her faith in the world, Padme followed the example of her esteemed mother. She moseyed straight into the kitchens.

Though they'd agreed that Anakin should stay the night at the temple, she doubted he'd follow through. The man rarely did. Knowing that he loved her attempts at cooking, she resolved herself to have something prepared to make the lost time up to him. To remind him that her job was not the life she loved.

But, as she buried her hands into the dough of the dumplings she was kneading together, Jaina poked her head around the corner of the kitchen. "Is that crass..." she paused, and added with a grin that Anakin would appreciate, "blankety-blank gone." Padme chuckled, feeling very comfortable with the woman already.

"Yes," she replied as she kneaded the dough some more, throwing it on counter once more to improve its consistency, "that crass blankety-blank is gone." Jaina chuckled as she stepped into the kitchen, watching Padme work with interest like a four year old girl.

"Can I help?" She offered with her brown eyes sparkling. Padme sighed and shook her head.

"I prefer that I make this myself."

Jaina smirked and leaned on the counter, eying the substance as Padme added more flour to it. "What are you making anyways?" she inquired as Jacen walked up to the bar window to observe. With so many eyes watching her, Padme was suddenly reminded of her nieces when she was able to watch them. Jacen and Jaina were emitting that amount of childish inquiry, which was uncharacteristic of them, based on their behavior this afternoon. They struck her as the more serious type, but she shrugged her notions off.

"Hearty dumplings in a meaty stew." She replied easily, and almost failed to catch herself, "Ani- a friend of mine especially likes the meal and I am expecting another visitor." Jacen and Jaina glanced at one another with an all knowing smile.

"You mean Knight Skywalker?" Jacen inserted carefully, "Don't you?"

Ghost white, Padme attempted to recover, but Jaina beat her to the punch. "You two do seem rather close... it was cute hearing you two argue in Palpatine's office." Her heart beating a mile a minute, Padme tried to create something to explain their behavior, anything but the truth. But, just as she was about to say something, the flesh hand of Jacen Darklighter landed on hers and she turned to face him. His sky blue eyes were calling to her, and she felt hypnotized by the pull in them.

"You've no reason to fear from us." He assured her, "Please try to be comfortable." Sensing that this was perhaps a mind trick, Padme did her best to blink free of it. The problem was that she was already so comfortable with these two, and it was apparent based on her mistakes in conversing with them.

Feeling the spell overwhelm her, Padme relented, "Okay."

The two warriors smiled at her, their expressions reminiscent of anyone but trained soldiers. They watched her a while longer before Jaina spoke up. "Well, if I can't help you..." she decided firmly, "Then you're going to teach me how to make this for Jacen."

"I concur." Jacen smirked from where he stood, "but how about I'm on meaty stew duty... You ladies work hard enough." He then walked around the counter and entered the kitchen in even strides, showing Padme how much her pleas were not about to be heard. And that frustrated her.

"I really want to cook this by myself!" She declared in an uncharacteristic fashion. Both Darklighters halted, dropping what they had in their hands as they stared at her. "Anakin works hard every day protecting the republic, and this is my way of thanking him for his sacrifices. Of showing him that everything he does means a lot to me."

Unsure of what her statement would inspire in the strange couple, Padme turned about to find them both staring at her thoughtfully. Jacen had a slight smile on his face while Jaina donned an expression of concern. And whatever concern that was led her to inquire, "You really believe in him, don't you?"

Caught off guard by the tone in Jaina's voice, Padme gulped and replied as innocently as she could, "Of course! He's one of the greatest Jedi in the republic!" But, based on the expressions on her new guards' faces, they weren't buying her explanation.

So, rather than adhere to her wishes, they resumed with their intrusion on her ritual. "Please don't help me... I'd rather you go and retire with everyone else." Padme begged.

"We noticed that your staff left earlier." Jacen replied flatly.

And Jaina finished the thought in a strange way, something couples did not typically do, "Is that normal around here... to have you left-"

"-Alone and without guard?" Jacen finalized their query.

Padme gulped once more, wondering about the particulars of this interrogation. The Darklighters were strange to her, familiar and welcome, yet bizarre and apparently mischievous. She wasn't sure if she wanted a friendship with them or to turn them away.

"I like my privacy." Padme replied sternly.

And Jaina chuckled, "No politician has privacy, so clearly intrusions are not your concern."

Dropping her dough as Jaina made a new ball beside hers, Padme raised her hands in frustration, "Actually it is... which is why I am dismissing you. Go... Now!"

But both Jaina and Jacen continued to ignore her, smiling to themselves as they followed the instructions on her DataPad on either side of her. Jacen had already filled the pot with the required ingredients and was approaching the stove to begin warming the mixture. Jaina had settled herself beside Padme and wasn't intent on moving. There was a strange silence between the three, a blissful ignorance met with a cold field of anxiety.

It didn't last that long though. "So, what is this Knight Skywalker like?" Jaina inquired as though the scene had never occurred. Padme gasped and stepped back from the counter, putting a hand to her head in frustration. "Is he charming or despicable?... I've always thought of him as a" Jaina paused, "total asshole." Jacen snorted from over by the pot, where he was beginning to cut meat up on the counter.

Awestruck, Padme glanced between the two of them and shook her head, "He's cocky, but... not an asshole." Jaina turned to her a moment, flipping her dough over as she grinned, "He's actually rather charming and thoughtful, always protecting those around him."

Jacen replied to that, "He sounds commendable."

Padme nodded, finally returning to her ball of dough on the counter, "He is that. I'd trust Ani with my life any day."

Jaina raised a brow, having heard that name more than twice now, "Ani?"

"His nickname from when he was a boy." Padme replied, now starting to ball up the dough into dumplings, "He's always had a good heart, and protecting everyone has been his priority... especially those too weak to defend themselves. I admire that about him." In hearing this Jacen turned and noted Jaina's thoughtful expression, as though she were reorganizing schemata in her mind. And he smiled.

"But..." Jaina wondered as she started forming her own balls out of the dough, "Isn't there a darkness in him? A part of him that is deplorable?"

Padme paused in her work and turned to Jaina, surprised and angry by the allegation. "He is human, everyone has some darkness... But Anakin has a light in him that most people crave." And, after that sound remark, Jaina was silent, so Padme chose to reinforce her statement, "When it comes to others safety, Anakin is selfless... that's why I try to give him a home cooked meal every now and then. He deserves at least that much."

In hearing that, Jaina dropped her dough and stepped out of the kitchen, angling her direction towards the hall that led to her room. Her reaction perplexed Padme, but she said nothing as she watched the woman stomp away.

She was beginning to dislike her.

But Jacen stood in his place by the stove, and soon moved over to begin breaking his wife's dough into the round dumplings. There was silence between them for a while as they worked, but it was soon broken by Jacen's hastily constructed explanation.

"While in the midst of the battlefield," he told her, "The Jedi must sometimes make terrible exceptions to their code, and Anakin has not been any different. We've heard quite a bit about it... and Jaina has formed her opinion around that information." Padme nodded, understanding, "She doesn't always take to new information well, and, in her frustration, she retreats to process it."

Sighing, Padme threw all her dumplings into the large bowl she'd set out for them and stepped over to the sink to fill them with water. This recipe required that they soak in an herb mix before they were boiled. "She should learn to not be so judgmental."

Jacen chuckled, "She really isn't as much as you'd think."

Then, as though talking about a HoloDrama, Padme inquired, "Are you a Skywalker fan?"

"Of course." He replied, following Padme's example with the dumplings, "But I am not a Clovis fan." Padme sighed as she heard that, the whole situation proving to be very strenuous to her, "Why was that creep here anyways?"

Taking a deep breath as she checked on the stew her guest had started, Padme shrugged, "Because I was assigned to assist in the investigation of the Banking Clan... Rush was to check in with me before he was taken to Scipio for processing."

"Processing?" Jacen inquired.

Padme nodded, stirring the stew as she added vegetables into it, small minced vegetables that Jacen clearly knew well how to cut, "Rush is vying for control of the clan, but since he uncovered the conspiracy, he needs to be checked to determine that he wasn't involved in some way. That alone will probably take three months, and all the while, various officials will be examining the many representatives of the Banking clan."

"Sounds entertaining." Jacen replied dryly.

Padme shrugged, "Only if you like paperwork... And I'm in for it for at least a year over this scandal alone. That should be about as long as it takes for the investigations to finalize and close... If we're lucky."

Jacen turned to her, his golden brow furrowed in confusion, "But aren't the clones relying on those finances?"

Padme nodded, "The Separatists are too. But we all have sufficient loans through to the end of next year... It's withdrawing beyond then that is the issue." There was silence a moment, and so Padme turned to peer over at Jacen, noticing how he was clearly interpreting what she shared.

"So this Rush guy wont be around for a while then?" He wondered aloud.

"Why is that such a big deal?!" Padme demanded in an exasperated voice, "Why doesn't anyone believe I can take care of myself?!" Jacen turned to her quizzically.

"It's not that we don't, Senator." He replied carefully, "It's that we don't believe you should have to. Good people like you deserve the support of friends, and friends give whether or not you want their gifts." He then paused and stepped over by her, staring her down with those familiar blue eyes of his, "If you don't like people caring about you, try not being someone worth caring about then."

And Padme gulped, staring into those blue eyes. She could see that he meant what he said, or rather, that for some reason, she meant something big to him. In his eyes was the same determination she saw in Anakin, and she couldn't fathom why.

So, rather than challenge him, she turned about and returned to her work. And he did the same. But it was different in the air now. Something was broken through, something intimate was formed... a strange relationship Padme didn't understand but welcomed between her and Jacen. And, perhaps later, even Jaina. It was something deep and powerful, like the bonds of blood. It made her heart beat more, and she began wondering if she were falling in love again. _Not romantic love... but love all the same._ She noted as she muddled this over, _but why?_ The silence as she thought grew uncomfortable.

"Would you like some champagne?" She offered, unsure of what else to do.

* * *

**Author's Note: Luke just seems to be able to do anything. I know he's my favorite character and all, which is why I'm trying to be careful in not overusing him, but... well, he's awesome and I sure hope my interpretation of him four years later is accurate. I haven't read much of the EU and what I have is usually when he's, like, fifty or something... so he's very different. And as for Leia, I'm not sure how much credit I'm giving her right now. She's a tough lady, and I always envisioned tough ladies needing processing time because they handle everything wholly.**

**As for Demantis, I realize the family card was well played in the original trilogy, but even Lucas likes to build on motifs and I felt safe making that strategic jump because it didn't seem to go against his style (Though I could be entirely wrong). And I'm really trying to respect the original author's craft as I write. How did I do? How shocked were you all when I threw that one out there? How willing to accept this idea are you? Those are my big wonders!**

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15: Padme's Regal Decree

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

The meetings had drudged on that day, leaving Obi-Wan more exhausted than he was on some missions. There were so many important issues to discuss in the high council, that lunch had to be brought to them from the cafeterias, and... well, despite the best efforts of the staff, the food still desired some sort of change.

He sighed as his stomach grumbled, unsure of whether it would be wise to attempt the temple food once more or take his small reservoir of unused stipend to Dex's for the night. And he was finding himself more than inclined to do the latter.

But, as he stepped forward towards the lift door, the grumbling voice of the Order's oldest called to him a swift reminder, "Ah, Master Kenobi." Yoda stated gently as he ambled up to his student, "Forget, did you, of our discussion?"

Realization dawning on him, Obi-Wan nearly collided his hand with his face. "Yes Master Yoda," He replied, "It appears I had food more on the mind than my duty. I apologize."

"Hmm." Yoda's brow lifted, "Food, say you?... Inclined, I am, to agree with your choice setting, Master Kenobi." The old sentient then led the way into the lift, closing the door before other masters could join them. Clearly he wanted privacy.

"What say you, Master Kenobi," Yoda suddenly began, his energy almost eager, "Possible, is it, that Darklighter, Skywalker's brother, could be?" Obi-Wan sighed and thought about it.

"They certainly do seem related." He informed the old warrior, "From their appearance to their personalities, I see so many similarities, that it wouldn't shock me if they were brothers... but-" he paused, trying to draw up the right words, "I don't think they are."

With his brows raised, Master Yoda prompted the red-headed warrior, "Why, say you?"

Obi-Wan shrugged as he collected his logic, "Because I feel a strange pull to him... one almost like my bond to Anakin. I don't understand it, but it makes me believe the contrary of your theory." Yoda nodded, acknowledging Obi-Wan's perceptions, but he didn't want to give up on his logic.

"Like bonds... like blood." He suggested as the lift doors opened. Obi-Wan shrugged, acknowledging the possibility. Together they stepped outward into the large halls of the temple, watching as a myriad of Jedi migrated towards the cafeteria. Mealtimes were usually the funnest part of the day to a Jedi, a chance to see one another, bond and befriend. Yoda relished them, and often ate amongst his students, hearing their explanations of their day and offering them wisdom. Especially the youngest ones.

"Darklighter's light," Yoda suddenly began, drawing Obi-Wan's ear once more, "makes me wonder, it does, whether the right Skywalker, we have, as Chosen One." Obi-Wan's eyes were wide in hearing that.

"You no longer believe Anakin to be the Chosen One?" he asked incredulously, "Despite all he has accomplished?" Yoda nodded slowly, almost regretfully.

He then added his reasoning, "Balance, the Chosen One will bring, but so full of darkness is Skywalker, that see him bring balance, difficult to believe it is." Obi-Wan sighed.

"I won't deny that he lacks maturity," the man began, wanting to defend his student now more than ever, "But that doesn't mean he won't grow into his responsibilities... If the council would just give him a chance, they would all likely see-"

"-Not arguing about his credentials as a Jedi, we are." Yoda cut him off, "Discussing the possibility that Master Jinn was wrong, we are." And that bit into Obi-Wan just a little bit more; he truly believed in his former master, Qui-Gon. So, rather than argue further, Obi-Wan walked quietly with Yoda. He only consoled himself with the fact that, perhaps, Anakin would rejoice at the prospect of a real brother. And even that fact boiled Obi-Wan just a bit.

* * *

Anakin found himself trembling as he drove his speeder out to his wife's apartment. Though the original plan was for him to stay at the temple this time, to avoid suspicion, he could not stay there knowing that some dark something or other had gotten to him there. Instead, he went through the day's motions and then followed his heart home. His arrival was most rushed, him leaping out of the speeder in aggravation.

He was scared. Terrified even!

Even with Artoo riding along in the back seat, nothing seemed to calm him. Part of him feared that by driving home, he was leading that monster directly into his abode. And he didn't want to endanger his beloved Padme. Especially when he wasn't sure that he could protect her.

Demantis was unlike any foe he'd faced before, and made Count Dooku seem like a saint by comparison. He knew he would soon have two weeks of meditative leave, but part of him wanted to just get away from all of this. To escape the clutches of that demonic Shaetin.

And to investigate this grave the monster had hinted at.

So distracted was he, that he did not sense that not only was his wife home, she had company. "I didn't realize that Hutts were so... scandalous." A young woman chuckled, shaking her head. He then heard Padme add, "Well, he was sort of all right, save for the part about being slimy, skiving and dangerous." Again, the young woman Anakin recognized as Jaina Darklighter started laughing. "And whats with Hutts and sticking their tongues out at people!" Padme cried out.

"My stars!" Jaina caught her breath while her husband sat on the couch nearby, grinning like a fool as he listened in, "I'm amazed you survived!" Jaina paused, not noticing Anakin, as she took a breath to add, "I was once tied to a Hutt, and let me tell you... positively no fun!"

Jacen chuckled on the couch, "Aww, but you looked so adorable!" he teased her, "Like a pet Nexu on a leash!" Jaina collected a napkin from the table and threw it directly at her husband, who guarded himself with his arms as he busted out laughing. Padme, herself, was caught up in the fun, covering her mouth with her hand as she watched the chaos ensue in fits of laughter.

"This coming from the idiot who tried to reason with Jabba the Hutt!"

Jacen chuckled once more as she threw Padme's napkin at him as well, "Hey, I'm not the one who took off my mask too soon and wound up in a metal bikini." Padme was suddenly in a stupor, oohing and ahhing like a spectator at a sport, and that was when it became apparent that she'd opened a bottle of Nemoidian Wine for her guests.

"Because you would have looked so good in that metal bikini!" Jaina declared snidely, taking another sip of her glass as her husband chortled over her comment.

"Damn good!" He informed her with mocked pride, "I've been told I've the legs of a supermodel!" Jaina and Padme were cackling so hard, they sounded like crazed witches at a tavern. Anakin could only shake his head as he crossed his arms and rested on the walls by the door. He had the feeling he'd be armed with a lot of great blackmail if he kept his distance for now.

Artoo had already scurried off to find Threepio, so he was now alone, but, in the midst of his now very warm home, he no longer felt that anxiety from before. Something about what he was witnessing felt right. Safe.

"Yeah!" Jaina inserted as she caught her breath, "And those pectorals you've worked so hard on would fill that brassiere in real good." She and Padme were giggling like fools as Jacen threw his head back and laughed. But when Padme reached for the bottle, it suddenly flew across the room.

"I think the liquor just dried up." Jacen suddenly decided with a smile.

Even as Padme attempted to gather her wits enough to understand the why behind the flying bottle, with Anakin laughing as he'd never seen her so inebriated, Jaina felt otherwise about Jacen's decision, "Awww! Luke!" she cried out, "You're no fun!"

He smirked at her and shook his head, not responding right away to the incorrect name.

"Luke." Padme suddenly echoed, smiling, "I've always liked that name... I want to name my first boy Luke." she then sat up straight and added like she was a young girl, "It means 'light' you know." Jaina and Jacen-Luke apparently knew that, as they nodded and said nothing more. Anakin even caught Jaina send a glance Jacen's way, one filled with an all knowing smile. Jacen-Luke seemed pleased to sit in silence with a slight grin on his face. Content.

"And..." Jaina suddenly wondered, "What would you name a girl? If you had one, that is?"

Anakin could no longer retain his chuckle as Padme stumbled through her drunken mind, trying to create some sort of name. He cautiously moved through the sides of the room, hiding in the shadows as she explained, "I've never really thought of a girls name really... I figured my sister got all the girls."

"Ryoo and Pooja, right?" Jaina inquired, very interested now. Padme nodded.

"Right?" She then paused and, after a moment, added, "You two certainly do your homework."

Jacen chuckled and nodded, also not noticing the stealthy Anakin Skywalker moving through the room. He hadn't had anything to drink in the last couple hours, but he was genuinely caught up in the conversation. It had started up nearly two hours ago after it was established that Padme was about as stressed as Leia over this arrangement and that she was bundle of nerves over her summit on Alderaan in a couple of days. Whatever animosity Padme formerly had for Leia had died the moment politics entered the discussion. They'd begun by discussing the war over small glasses of champagne, but soon the strong bottle of wine was brought out and a fun conversation followed. A conversation Anakin was happy to join in on.

"I might have a suggestion, Senator." He suddenly inserted from his place by the bookcase. All three people nearly jumped at his voice, with Padme putting a hand to her chest.

After she caught her breath, she shot up and chided him, "Damnit Ani! You s-scared us!"

Anakin approached the table with a big grin on his face, making Padme flush a bit, "My apologies Senator... I actually came over on business, but noticed the door was open." He then sat down in a dark brown armchair near Jacen's couch, "The conversation seemed so fun, I didn't dare intrude until now."

Padme smiled at him widely, sitting back in her chair, "And what business might you have with me, Knight Skywalker?" She then glanced between the two guests and added, "Besides your now cold, promised, dumpling dinner."

Anakin smirked and informed her, "Well, you still haven't been formally debriefed regarding Scipio. The council expects my report tomorrow and I completely forgot about it...Since we are such good friends, and apparently already had plans, I figured you wouldn't mind." Padme smirked and shook her head, while Jaina sat by in a stupor.

Suddenly, the smaller woman snorted and informed them what she heard of the conversation, "He said 'debriefed.'" Her reiteration left the room in shambles of laughter, even as Jacen stood up. He didn't catch the crooked grin nor the raised brows of Anakin Skywalker, but Padme Amidala sure did. She even flushed at the sight of him.

"I don't think I've ever seen you that drunk." Jacen informed Jaina as he approached the table, "Time for a glass of water, or twelve, and bed." But as he lifted his wife's shoulders, she swatted him away, all seriousness on her face.

"But I want to know his suggestion!" She whined, staring at Anakin with perhaps the gentlest eyes she'd used on him yet. And he had noticed that. All through the meeting with the chancellor, he'd felt her pointed gaze upon him. He just ignored it because he really didn't care. As far as he was concerned, she could jump off a bridge with her attitude and he'd just keep walking.

Padme suddenly added, "Yes, Ani! Tell us!"

Noting that all eyes were on him, Anakin shrugged and cleared his throat a moment. "Well..." he started slowly, building up suspense to tease the two women, something Jacen noted and grinned about, "I've always liked the name Leia."

His eyes were on Padme at first, who seemed to brighten in hearing that, "I imagine that, if Jedi were allowed to love and have families, I would have a girl by that name... Leia Skywalker." Cautiously, he turned his ocean blue eyes upward. The sweet look his secret wife was giving him from her raised stool near the bistro would have been a tell tale for anyone but the drunken Jaina Darklighter.

In fact, when Anakin could part eyes with Padme, he was surprised to see the look of complete shock on the woman's face. She was zoned in on some point on the ground, her jaw dropped and her skin pale. "Leia." She echoed, her eyes widened.

But, as things grew awkward around them, Jacen leaned down and kissed his wife's cheek, "You have your answer Jaina... now let's get you to bed." She nodded and stood, relying heavily on her husband as they meandered down the halls towards their room. Anakin and Padme watched them go silently for a moment, sure smiles on their faces.

When they were gone, Padme stood up and meandered towards Anakin, leaning down awkwardly to kiss the man on his cheek. Instead, he stole a kiss on her lips, pulling her into his lap. With so much liquer in her, she really didn't care one way or another how things looked right now... until her brain caught up with the situation. A moment later, she stood up again, "I like that name... they go well together. Leia and Luke Skywalker. Or maybe... Luke and Leia Skywalker... Who knows?" She then moved towards the couch, "I hope that the time comes when we can use those names."

Anakin stood up to join her on the couch, "It will, Padme, we just have to be patient."

She sighed as he wrapped an arm around her, resting her head on his shoulder. He could smell the alcohol on her breath and had to smile. He'd never known her to drink very much, so sitting with Jaina Darklighter must have been quite the event. "Patience is the one thing we are both bad at." She reminded him in a childish pout, "Me especially." Anakin chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"You are far more patient than I." She then shook her head at his comment.

"No, I am not." She informed him like a small child, harrumphing and everything, "I want to have your babies now... the stupid Jedi and the war are making that difficult." Again, her husband could only chortle at the comment, shaking his head. She expressed her views in such a way that it seemed the war and the Jedi were directly conspiring against them, despite this not being the case.

"We have plenty of time." He reminded her. She still chose to shake her head, her lips pursed together so that her lower lip stuck out.

And, with great, regal poise, she announced, "I want babies now." And he had to laugh at her behavior, as uncharacteristic as it was, "Right now."

Sitting back to regard her with a crooked grin, Anakin dove right into her announcement, "Ah, babies huh? As in plural?" She glared at him through the corner of her eyes, "So... twins or triplets or something?" he laughed at her, "I mean, I will do my best, but I think some of that relies on you, right?" Staring at him a moment, the brown eyed vixen furrowed her brows and then she began to repeatedly smack at his shoulder as he continued to tease her, getting lost in his laughter by the end of her assault.

As they sat together, embracing and laughing, they found themselves lost in their own little world once more. At least, until Padme informed Anakin in a serious way, "I do want babies now." She sat back and looked at him earnestly, "I really want to have a baby now... When we were coming back from Scipio, when I asked you about starting a family... I really meant it." Staring at her certainty, Anakin sighed and sat up to answer her.

"I know." He replied, "And I would love to start our family now... if it were safer. If power wasn't an issue. If Dooku were gone." he then paused, staring into her tear-filled brown eyes, "But you know as well as I that raising an infant in this environment is too risky. Coruscant shuts off its power every night now in half its districts... Do you really want our baby sleeping in a cold house?"

Padme sighed as a tear fell down her face and she shook her head, but Anakin wasn't done.

"Even Naboo isn't safe," he reminded her, "Especially with Nute Gunray still after you... I want to have a baby with you," he assured her as she began to sob, "I really do, but I don't want to see you suffer when that baby becomes a target to hurt us. Especially with all the backlash our careers will bring us." It seemed that for a moment, she was starting to become rational again, but that light flickered on and off quickly.

"We've been married nearly two years." She reminded him in a sigh, "I wanted to start my family years ago..." Anakin sighed and held her close.

"I know." He admitted as he began rocking her, "And we will have a family, we just have to wait. You, yourself, said this when we first started talking about it." They sat in silence, allowing that elephant back into its stall as the speeders outside rushed by.

* * *

Leia was as difficult as could be in her drunken stupor. She'd been so startled by Anakin's choice in girl names, that Luke practically had to carry her back to their room. A room he found himself very confused about.

Bail's spare room for extra security had two beds. This one had one. And, though it might not have been awkward if they were seven or something, they were twenty-eight years old and, not even ten years ago, they were absolute strangers. _Guess I'm on the floor,_ Luke realized as he sighed, staring at the comfortable plush bed longingly.

It had been an especially long day.

After she could finally rid herself of Rush Clovis, Amidala had spent the rest of the day trying to make up for lost time. Her desire to speak out for the victims of the war was admirable, but the amount of work she put into it was borderline insane. _Now I know why Leia is such a good micro-manager._ Padme's stress levels were so high that Leia had been the one to suggest she stop for the day, lest she tire herself out to do her job the next.

And that was after Leia had returned from her internal sojourn in accepting that her father was a lovable man.

"She has to be our mother!" Leia decided, "She picked your name and... Va- _father_ picked mine." She then turned to Luke, her eyes glittering with excitement, "Luke! He wanted me! I was..." and the water works showed up once more, making Luke wonder exactly what was up with his normally strong-willed sister. She still held back her tears, but she seemed so ready to shed them that he actually was waiting impatiently for the event. "I was _wanted!" _she decreed with glee.

Luke smiled at her gently, following her drunken dance as she turned about and pulled at him with hugs of sheer, unaltered, happiness. "Luke!" She suddenly added, not caring that he hadn't said a word, "Couldn't you just imagine what it would have been like with them? I mean... they could have raised us!" Every statement Leia gave was emphasized in a way that made them sound like the most profound ideas in the galaxy, and Luke could not help but enjoy the show.

"We probably would have had Force food fights. Food! Flying around the room like an indoor typhoon! And built droids! And talked politics!" Leia suddenly decided, "Our father looks like the type to have a few pranks up his sleeve. And mother would have just laughed and shrugged it off!"

"You'd have been his little princess." Luke teased her, "Until your raving teenage years."

Leia turned to him, blushing, before shaking her head. "No... I don't think that is what he would have called me." There was a pregnant silence as she nodded to herself with certainty, "Princess isn't a special name to him. He would have called me something else."

"Well," Luke added with a new grin, "I doubt it would be near as good as your worshipfulness." Leia blushed in hearing her husband's favorite pet name for her, outside of accusing her of being a one-woman committee.

Seating himself on the bed, Luke watched Leia as she aligned her schemata with all this new information about Anakin Skywalker. She was starting to see that the man and the monster are indeed separate, and the same... much like that strange lion mural from under the Jedi Temple. He figured that she would have come to understand their father's complexity in this era, but he hadn't counted on her being so excited about it. _Nemoidian wine,_ Luke noted with both brows raised, _go figure._

"If only Han were here to see this." He said aloud, to which Leia turned to him with a perplexed expression, "I doubt he'd believe me."

Leia smirked and fell back on the bed, all filled with glee, "You're right!" Was her next statement, "He could barely believe it when you were stumbling home from our wedding... with your new girlfriend. He still insists she was never there."

Luke shook his head, deciding that now was a decent enough time as ever to confess something that had been bugging him about Mara to his sister. Well, bugging him since their grandmother's spirit brought it up, anyways. "I actually think its more serious than that now."

And, like a whirlwind, Leia was turned over, her head propped up on her arms with the most intent stare a drunk woman had ever given him.

"Do tell." She inquired gracefully, her brows raised.

Shrugging, the man stared out the small window a moment, "I want her to stop leaving." he admitted after a slight exhale, "It's getting old, the separation. And, well... I'm having trouble picturing life without her."

Leia smiled at him sweetly, getting giddy once more. "Another wedding!" she'd already decided, even though that is not what her brother said, "How fun!" But, after her little fanciful fit, she sat up straight and added, "But how the hell are we going to handle the giveaway? She's an orphan too!"

She then paused and scoffed, "Were a big goddamn family of orphans!" Luke chuckled at her, amazed at his sister's behavior, "Stop laughing! I'm serious... we cannot die after having kids... it would be criminal or something-"

"-or a part of life." Luke inserted as a tease, "After all, with life comes death."

Leia stared at him a moment before warning him, "You know what I meant." He nodded and sighed slightly, "But... I don't know... Jade, she..." Leia suddenly began, pausing constantly as her inebriated mind attempted to fire up electric pulses, "Her presence is so familiar sometimes... when she wants to be good. It's strange."

"Awkward sometimes too." Luke admitted, "Not that I really care. She makes me happy." Leia's grin was bright as sunshine as she listened to her brother, fighting with herself to not perform Luci Tano's happy dance.

After a the passing of a slightly sobering silence, Leia suddenly wondered. "We can pretty much guarantee now that Amidala is..." she started sniggering once more, "Mommidala." She glanced at her brother, looking for praise for her cleverness. When he just stared at her, she shrugged, "As if your jokes are any better."

"Actually," Luke started with a chuckle, "When I am drunk they are far worse, and you know it." Leia snorted and sighed, her mind still trying to get back to all engines firing, "But you are right." Luke continued, "I may not be able to sense that connection you have, but... as easy as the choice is, she's the only one who makes any sense. And we have to guard her."

"But we can't be seen too much by her." Leia reminded him, "So we still have to leave tomorrow." Luke nodded and sighed.

There was another pause as they planned what to do, but Luke finally decided, "We still need to go to Naboo." His eyes were certain, showing that icy gleam that usually appeared when he made up his mind. Leia turned to him, trying to divine why, but her brother was kind enough to explain this to her, "We need to understand all the places she goes and people she cares about so that we can shadow her and keep her safe."

A slight whirring noise drew his eyes to the door, but Leia clearly hadn't heard it, so he soon let the distraction go. "I don't think our enemies suspect she's our mother, so we have some time to set this up right." Leia nodded, eager to get started.

She then laid back, yawning wide as she did, "Well, now that that is settled..." and she closed her eyes. Luke smirked at her and meandered to their refresher, planning on following her example now that their father was there. They'd spent days only partially rested, and today was to be the first night they could actually sleep.

As they prepared to rest, a certain golden protocol droid carefully stepped back from outside their door, lowering his raised hand in the process. He'd followed this 'Luke' person back towards the room to offer his assistance, but, when he approached the door, he overheard the greater part of their conversation. Now his protocols were humming to life, trying to discern what to do with this new information.

The coding in his mind ran something like this, 'Leia' equals 'Jaina Darklighter' equals 'daughter of master and mistress.' Then the other protocols caught up. 'daughter of master' equals true, sub-routine 'new family member' equals 'main.' Sub-protocol 'secret.' Sub-protocol 'assistance priority one.' Error. Error. Error. Sub-protocol 'Anakin is awesome!' equals 'maskixzsthgls.' And he ran the same process for Luke.

"Oh!" Threepio suddenly stated as his externals reactivated, "Miss Padme had a baby! How exciting!"

* * *

It was the midnight hour. Late. Dark. And he loved it.

He loved knowing that, at this moment, he was not accountable for anything. That his 'master' was no longer observing his every move. No, Lady Pestilis was off with her guide, attempting to find this Masano character that could have spawned Skywalker's brood.

Of course, she wasn't the mother, and he knew that much.

Lord Devaro knew all to well who really birthed the twins. His own mother had suspected long ago that there was more going on between Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker than met the eye. She wrote about it in her logs. Logs which Devaro had cherished when he was still Zion Tano.

_That name,_ he grumbled internally, _I can't stand that I abandoned it._

And it was true. His mother and father had given him that name through the pure love in their hearts, but a Sith could not maintain their old identity. He had to become someone new. Devaro.

But, in truth, he was only Devaro on his missions. When the master was away, the student was too. Pestilis's distance allowed him to breathe the clean air of light once more. Even if it was only temporary. But when she was back, the loathing her presence inspired drove him into such dark depths, he wasn't sure whether he would surface from them. And yet he did.

That was why, instead of monitoring Skywalker as he was supposed to, he was instead watching over his mother.

She was young in this time: a teenager really. But she was just as he remembered her. Impatient. Loyal. Cunning. He missed her so, and he wished his sisters were there to see her so vibrant.

They had hardly any memories of her, which was unfair in his mind. He had many. So many precious memories of planting the garden, hunting with the villiage and even a little space flight. Not even Mina had that much.

_Sisters,_ Zion found himself longing for, _how I miss you so._

Ahsoka Tano was not meant to remain on Mandalore much longer. Zion had observed from his post across the street from her that Anakin Skywalker would soon return to collect the aspiring Padawan.

That left Zion with time enough to ensure one thing. The one most important thing he could ever desire: he could prevent his mother from ever meeting the traitor that killed her. He wasn't sure when they'd meet, he wasn't even sure what the guy's name was. But he remembered his signature; he would know him when he saw him. And he would simply scare him away.

_Even you, Skywalker,_ he added begrudgingly as he watched his mother yawn, stretch, and head for her cot, _you would not object to this course of action._

As bent on revenge as he was, and as much as he'd rather sever the cretin's head from his body, Zion also wanted to honor his mother. She would not have wanted her death disrespected in such a way, and so, when he was once more Zion, he'd remind himself of that. Devaro didn't always listen, unfortunately. But, as separate as their personas were becoming, they were still the same person with the same passions. That was why, while still in darkness, Devaro could not seek revenge on Captain Rex.

Even after what he'd done... he felt no anger at the man. Rather, he understood what he did all too well, and it made it very hard to be vengeful towards him.

But, even as he deliberated the least damaging outcome of his presence in this time, he was being watched closely by a shadow. One with dark red eyes.

* * *

Luke dreamed deeply, as he always did, sprawled out on the floor. It surprised him how comfortable he was there, but the heinous purple plush rug his probable mother had placed on the floor likely had something to do with it. He could not help but notice that she was a woman of fashion, which likely inspired the dream he was having.

_His perspective set him on a windowsill, looking into a room where Padme Amidala stood admiring herself in the mirror, "This isn't too... young looking? Is it?" He heard himself snort a laugh at her._

_"Hardly mother." His voice informed her, though he did not speak, "You don't age, so nothing looks all that young on you." Smiling wide, Padme turned to him. She was a bit older looking, but not much._

_"Compliments will not save you from my wrath." She informed him snidely, "You still ran away from home... I'm not sure how willing I am to forgive that, since you have yet to come back." He felt himself shrug._

_"I heard the call of Advorosia." He admitted, "I heard their cries of pain through the Force... and I couldn't ignore it anymore." Padme turned to him with a raised brow._

_"Advorosia?" She wondered aloud, stepping towards him in concern, "I've never heard of such a place." Luke shrugged._

_"It's in Wild Space... hidden between three stars and buried inside an asteroid field." Luke then paused and sat up straight, "It's a wonder I made it there alive, much less escaped it. But the skills I learned there were well worth the risk." Clearly his mother didn't like that remark, as she stood somber and pale as a ghost. But soon, that paleness turned to screaming. Shrieking even._

_As suddenly as it arrived, Luke's vision changed to an entirely new one. He found himself on a world he barely recognized, standing on the inside of a circle with a ring of Mandalorian Warriors around them. All of them had their bracer-cannons locked and loaded, trained on the trembling group trapped in the circle. A group comprised of Luke, Leia, Padme, a Togruta and a blond woman Luke did not know, but somehow recognized._

Luke woke just as the shots were fired, gasping for air and glancing about the room. He tried for a few minutes to slow his heart rate down and catch his breath, but he could not. The scene was too real. The circumstance too possible. And what was strange is he was certain that his time traveling enemies were not behind that situation. Rather, their presence might have been.

His turmoil did not go unnoticed. Even as he caught his breath and brought himself back to calm, Leia stirred and sat up to stare at him sleepily. "What was that dream?" She asked, confused.

Sighing, Luke turned to her, "You saw all that?"

"You mean the ring of Boba Fetts with guns?" She inquired as slowly became more awake. Luke sighed and turned his eyes downward, not sure what to say. "What do you think it means?" His sister inquired as he thought deeply over the same question.

It was clear his dream and this vision were tied together, but he wasn't sure why. _...the skills I learned there were well worth the risk._ Luke sighed.

"I think I need to leave." He told her earnestly, not liking the statement himself, "I had a dream that I needed to go somewhere to grow and become stronger." Cautiously, as he sensed his sister's anger, he turned his icy blue eyes her direction, "And I think that strength will help us prevent that vision."

Scowling, Leia jumped up from the bed and started to pace, "You mean you want to leave me alone here... guarding _our_ mother?" Luke nodded, expecting his sister to start bellowing at him, "And where, pray tell, will you go?"

Knowing this was going to get ugly, Luke admitted, "Advorosia."

And with that, he began his tale.

* * *

Deep in the depths of the Outer Rim, a large separatist vessel cruised amongst the stars ominously. It was a large ship, not nearly as ornate as the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser, but it served its purpose well. Decorated with the various scars of battle, this _Malignant_ was hardly anything to scoff over. And it was run almost entirely by droids of all kinds.

From the cheaply produced B1 battle droids to the well refined BX commandos, the ships admiral had a command over an extensive array of skills and abilities. Something he rather enjoyed about his position.

He'd storm the halls, watching as the lesser droids attempted to not display concern for themselves. Their processors were too cheap to feel anything more than the basics, though their personalities would indicate otherwise. The clanking of his own metal feet seemed to herald himself as he strode carelessly towards the command tower.

He owned this place. He hated this place.

Stomping into the main control center, the thin, hunched general began barking orders towards his many subordinates, "Open the transmission!"

"Yes, sir!" one of the feeble B1s replied. He turned and called out something about maggots to his underlings, but Grevious barely listened. He'd been contacted so spontaneously by his master, he wasn't sure what to make of this transmission. In his mind, all he could wonder was, _what have I done now?_

As the blue and sputtering image of the tall, lanky and bearded man appeared before him, Grievous steeled himself for whatever lecture he was about to receive. With evident wear and tear on the count, Grievous knew today was not a day to push the man. Though, he had to wonder just where all those horrid burns came from... and how he could replicate them in the future when he sought out his turn to rule.

"General Grievous." Came the cool and calm voice of the Count.

"Yes, Count Dooku." The cyborg grumbled as eloquently as he could, "How may I be of service to you?"

Dooku frowned, he'd much rather use his Sith name, but it was so important that his not so duel identity remain in anonymity as much as possible. But his high general misinterpreted the source of his displeasure. Rather than correct him, the stern warrior allowed the misunderstanding to stand.

"I have a rather unusual task for you." Dooku informed him, his typical poise keeping the calm of the room level, despite the monster he spoke with. Grievous respected Dooku, but only because he knew he could not defeat the man. And this knowledge kept his wild-side under control.

Letting out a sigh of relief and exasperation, the mechanized Qymean jai Sheelal glared his yellow eyes at the Jedi-turned-Sith, "You dare call me about a task! I've so much on my plate now fighting your war! And yet-" Suddenly Grievous levitated from the floor, grasping at his neck for the invisible hands that choked him.

"-This request is not my own." Dooku informed him, interlocking his hands behind his back as he released the now relenting creature, "Our benefactor has specifically required that this task be carried out... and we both know how much you enjoy assassinations..." The count could feel Grievous's chuckle, he'd hit the note so well.

With new energy, Grievous approached and inquired wickedly, "And who is to die this day?"

In response, a secondary image appeared beside Dooku. It was a magnification of a small camera, showing both a man and woman embracing. The man's face was half turned, exposing a very familiar looking profile.

"You want me to assassinate Skywalker?" Grievous cried out in indignation, "He's a warrior, likely to die on his own on the battlefield. And yet, you waste my time with this."

Rather than strangle him, Dooku turned to his own version of the image and studied it carefully. _He's right,_ Dooku realized as his brows raised, _he does look just like Skywalker... who is this man really and why does my master want him dead?_

Instead of addressing the issue directly with Grievous, Dooku resolved to solve this mystery on his own time, "This man is not Skywalker." He assured the droid, unlatching his hands from behind his back to stand in a relaxed pose once more.

Grievous cocked his head to the side and then looked at the image again. Try as he might, he was not human... he had as much difficulty seeing their distinguishing features as humans did in identifying differences between the Qymean jai Sheelal. Fortunately for him, he had a computer to make the comparison for him. The data download took hardly a nanosecond to process.

Then the warrior turned to his master, "If he isn't Skywalker," the cyborg challenged, "Then who is he?" The old man took a moment to reply, wondering the same thing himself as he processed the name of their target.

"Jacen Darklighter." Dooku replied coolly, "He must be dead within the next twenty cycles."

* * *

**Author's Note: I would like to point out that the idea to have Anakin name Leia is definitely not my own. I'd like to credit where I read it, but I read that several years ago and can't quite place which story I found it in... truthfully, I thought it was EU cannon for a while, but couldn't find it there either because I wanted to cite it. So, who ever you are, thank you for the inspiration!**

**In all honestly, I am trying to create something very different from what I've found in other stories, which is 'Promise' has all these original elements to it. And I appreciate the comments that help me see my successes, as they keep me motivated. Honestly, this is the farthest I've ever written a story, and I feel you all are a large part of this accomplishment! Thank you!**

**And please don't forget to review!**


	16. Chapter 16: Hangovers and Other Tortures

**Yaay! I finally have a chance to update! Sorry that it took so long... as said before, my life tends to get busy, and sometimes I'm just a bit too busy to write. Hopefully I can get back on schedule again. Thanks for your patience!**

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

_Skywalker..._ he heard in his head and heart as the darkness swirled around him, _You are a monster... a barbaric creation from the most blasphemous of unions... You don't deserve to be born. _

It was the Shaetin Demantis's voice that he heard, echoing about him as though he were in some wind tunnel comprised of the fiend. The clammy and yet burning feeling he felt terrified him, even as he attempted to swim out of the fire and smoke that encompassed him.

"Leave me alone!" Anakin shouted, filled with panic and fear. Using the Force, he attempted to push the mist away, only to have the dangerous fog push by his presence, looming, growing. Shuddering as he backed away further into the abyss, Anakin sought a way out, unable to see one.

_You are nothing more than a monster!_ Demantis shouted, a strange, echoing sound suddenly entering the whirlwind, _You will destroy everything you love... just like your own father!_

"I have no father!" Anakin shouted, suddenly finding that he was filling with rage. This feeling made the burns of his body ache, but that did not stomp out his temper.

Demantis suddenly manifested before Anakin, a wicked grin under his thin mustache, "Yes you do, Anakin... you do have a father and he did not want you." As Anakin began to tremble in rage, Demantis approached him, "You see, he took your mother against her will... When you were born..." Demantis paused extra long, liking the slow glow of yellow building in the young man's eyes, "He tried to crush you."

And that was all Anakin needed to hear before he bellowed out in his rage. And with that fierce roar, the mist dispersed.

* * *

Anakin Skywalker awoke the next morning from a restless night to the aches of the burns across his body. They were small nuisances, not the scathing wounds from Scipio, but were enough of a pain that he could no longer sleep. Not that he wanted to.

So, pulling himself away from his beloved wife, Anakin rose and sought his clothes from the night before, hoping to the stars and back that his sampling of the Nemoidian wine from the night before hadn't delayed his morning. To his relief, he hadn't overslept.

The door slid open easily, and Anakin hopped out swiftly, knowing he had to at least head to the temple and pretend he'd been around before returning to help Padme with plans that afternoon.

She was stressed as ever about her trip to Alderaan, one he would not be able to make. As far as he was concerned, his absence did not mean he could not be apart of the process. Most days, he felt guilty not being at Padme's side. She deserved a lot better than what he was providing. Most husbands brought some sort of income home, or were around for special occasions, but as a Jedi, he could do none of those things and that bothered him. Even if being a hero didn't.

And moments when she reinforced her love of him, like her dumpling dinner last night, made him desire all the more to give her everything he had. Things like that made him forget about jerks like Rush Clovis being around the city.

He carefully closed the bedroom door, hoping not to stir his wife. It slid closed with a soft click and he let out a sigh of relief. But, as he turned to dash off, he accidentally walked straight into an ice-pack toting Jaina Darklighter with an oomph.

"J-Jaina!" Anakin stuttered, not sure what to do at all. He could only guessed how this looked. Him, sneaking out of her room at sun-up, his hair probably as much a mess as it was when Padme was running her fingers through it the night before, smiling about how she liked the length. A sheet of sweat across his face. Gods, he was near panicking!

Since their marriage, Padme had always ensured that no one would be around when he was. This had never happened before. He'd never had to search the kitchens. The staff never arrived before ten!

Not caring about his tone, Jaina groaned and raised her hand to stop him, "Don't talk." And then she meandered back down to her room, "Nemoidian wine!" she grumbled. Watching her as she disappeared down the dark hall, Anakin swallowed and wondered what to do. And he could not find an answer.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit..._ He panicked internally, trying to slink out of the fine apartment before anyone else spotted him. He made it halfway across his wife's bronzen living room when yet another new voice called out for him, "Good morning!"

The voice had come from the veranda, and made Anakin freeze like a criminal. Again, no one had been present this early before, and Padme had not warned him that the Darklighters were staying the night. She was too drunk to convey much outside of her desire to have babies anyways.

His whole body clenching, the young Jedi Knight turned to face Jacen Darklighter. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the veranda, the young man seemed calm and yet friendly. His hair was reflecting the sun from behind him, which made him a little hard to see.

"_Erhm.._" Anakin started as he walked over towards the veranda, _no point in pretending I wasn't here all night anymore. _He swallowed, afraid of what it would take to keep these Darklighters quiet. "Good morning, Mr. Darklighter... Did-" he was so shaken, he didn't know what to do, "Did you sleep well?" Jacen smiled at him and nodded.

"As well as can be expected in a new bed." He replied, suddenly raising his brows, "Not that you are unfamiliar with that concept."

Exhaling slowly, Anakin sat down on the ground, crossing his legs as well, "I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Smiling and shaking his head, Jacen replied kindly, "Well, what with the clone wars, I imagine you rarely sleep in the same place twice." Still pale with fear, Anakin nodded slowly.

"Yes... yes, I often move." He replied almost mechanically. Again, the more confident Jacen chuckled. He motioned towards the bedrooms with his head.

"That Nemoidian wine took it out of Jaina." He chuckled lightly, "We were planning on being gone already, but she's so hungover... we'll be lucky to leave by tonight." He continued to laugh, even as Anakin panicked internally. It was a good thing that Jacen's eyes were locked on another apartment.

_All right, Jacen, you're either incredibly naïve,_ Anakin rationalized, _or just playing it off until later._

"I'm naïve about what?" Jacen suddenly wondered, turning his eyes back to Anakin.

Dumbstruck, Anakin stuttered his reply, "I-... I didn't say anything?" With a brow furrowed, Jacen shrugged and dismissed the topic entirely, his eyes once again falling on that building he'd been observing.

Uncomfortable with the quiet, Anakin suddenly stood up, "Well, I came by to check on the Senator again, she was really out of it when you both left last night... I really should be going now." And then he bowed awkwardly, "Nice to see you again, Mr. Darklighter." When he glanced back at Jacen, he noticed that the man looked very confused, brows furrowed and all. But that did not stop him from nearly running out the door.

Watching him go, Luke put two and two together and fought the smile that was growing across his face. Even as Leia walked up, he managed to keep the smirk down. "What was that about?" She wondered, lowering her ice-pack. Luke shrugged back at her, finally losing his grip and chuckling loudly to himself.

Shortly after, his sister joined in.

"It's not like we caught him with his pants down." She pointed out, seating herself beside her brother with a grin, "I never imagined Vader ever being that awkward."

"So he's Vader again." Luke replied with a frown that resonated in his icy blue eyes.

But Leia shook her head, a smile still on her face, "No... this man is not Vader." She then turned to her brother, "He is _father_." And in that moment, a grin grew on Luke's face that out shined the sun.

And Threepio ran his protocols once more.

* * *

Thanks to Devaro's disappearance, Anhilis had taken it upon herself to fill his shoes with the more boring job of watching the Skywalker twin's movements. And she grumbled to herself as Luke sat on the veranda, wanting nothing more than to capture him into this stolen apartment and toy with him. She had the fleeting suspicion that she'd be attracted to more than just those innocent blue eyes and found herself wondering what sorts of scars she could find on him.

They'd been at this Senator Amidala's home for some time now, but her intelligence from the maids indicated that this had been an arrangement against all their wills.

_Master will not be pleased with this,_ she realized as she sat back against the headboard of this stolen bed. The night before, she'd broken into this location, having learned that the owners were currently visiting Felucia as peace ambassadors to the colonists. She'd been warned multiple times to kill sparingly and was doing her best not to flaunt her superiority.

But, as she pulled her binoculars back up to her eyes, she finally saw something worth noting. _Skywalker!_ It was not the man she'd been tasked to monitor, but rather his father was approaching the veranda. _What the hell is he doing here so early?_

And suddenly her job became a lot more interesting. Especially since she saw Skywalker the younger look directly at her twice. _He knows I'm here..._

* * *

Anakin was relieved when he'd finally arrived at the temple, unseen this time. He was so distracted by his newest predicament, he couldn't even consider keeping an eye out for Demantis. His heart rate had finally died down, and he was trying to plan how to confront Jacen and Jaina about their encounter that morning. _I... I don't think they'll rat me out,_ he suddenly decided, based on their nonchalant behavior that morning, _At least, I hope they wont._ He knew the issue still needed to be addressed and was trying to plan the 'how', despite the clinging of his comm attempting to pull his thoughts away to Jedi business.

Obi-Wan was calling him. Apparently he had been all night.

With an exasperated sigh, Anakin began his slow drudge to Obi-Wan's quarters. Almost any passerby could see just how deflated the young man was.

_First this goddamn Shaetin,_ he grumbled internally, _Now the Darklighter's know my secret... what's next? Padme's wish suddenly comes true?_

Majority of the Jedi were housed closely to one another in a single wing, but that didn't mean much. The temple was vast, and traveling to meet someone usually required quite a bit of time. But Anakin didn't mind that so much. It merely meant he had some time to his thoughts, which were actually left alone. So, as he absently strolled past grand columns and statues, old murals and scampering Younglings, Anakin took advantage of his much relished privacy.

He didn't like the fact that he and Jacen had some mysterious link between them. Truthfully, everything about that felt right. But he didn't understand the tie, and that was what made the whole scenario so strange. Deep down, something urged him to trust the man, but it was that same wild feeling that always forcasted the bad in his life. That strange, powerful impulse that he fought so hard to keep in control of. The one that taunted him with the distant future on terrible occasions.

Having climbed the level towards his former master's room, Anakin raised his hand to knock at the metal door. The sound of metal meeting gloved metal echoed down the empty hall like a water drop in a large cavern. It was still early, and so most of the younger Jedi were already at their sunrise ablutions. The experienced ones often joined them, attempting to make the experience more of a communal exercise.

"Come on in Anakin." Came Obi-Wan's voice from inside, "I have to talk to you."

With a sigh, the younger man waved the door open and entered the neat quarters belonging to his former master. They were neat, dust free and light; everything you'd expect from Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was hardly a piece of furniture within the space, but plenty of DataPads likely filled with various descriptions of places soon to be invaded by the Separatists littered the nearby desk. Obi-Wan was always one to study.

Speaking of, he sat in the center of the room, slightly in a meditative trance. His blue eyes were open, staring but not seeing the door and the man inside of it.

"You asked to see me Obi-Wan?" Anakin inquired carefully as he stepped to the side of the door to let it close. As it swooshed shut, Obi-Wan opened his eyes slightly wider, breaking the trance.

Letting out a sigh, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin with worry in his eyes, "I did. Though," he paused and pulled himself up from the ground, "I had commed you several hours ago... Is there a particular reason for your delay?" Anakin shrugged, not sure how to answer that, so Obi-Wan moved on. He never liked to press his student for information. It always closed down their channels of communication anyways. "Now that you're here, I don't know how to say what I must... It's... puzzling."

Anakin stepped closer the center of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the man wearily, "Why do I get the feeling it is something bad?"  
His eyes were slightly closed, clearly demonstrating his suspicion. Obi-Wan simply tried to ignore that as he fought through his own confusion. With a deep, deep sigh, he started his tale, "Well, to be frank, Master Yoda no longer believes you are the Chosen One." The silence was palpable as Anakin stared his best friend down. He didn't know what to say. Being the Chosen One was his identity for so long. Despite hating that label, hearing that he'd lost it was, _unthinkable._

"I realize that Anakin." Obi-Wan replied, "but Yoda is certain. He's met someone with an even greater Force-signature than you: your brother." Anakin gulped.

"My- my what?"

Obi-Wan nodded and stepped forward, "Your older brother." He told him again, seeing the recognition in his friends eyes, "Jacen Darklighter." Anakin stepped back and away from Obi-Wan's gaze. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He just couldn't.

"But I don't have a brother." he argued in shock. "Especially not Jacen Darklighter. He's... he's... so proper and stoic and, well, probably naïve... We're nothing alike!" Obi-Wan sighed.

"Anakin," he argued gently, "I know it is a tough pill to swallow, but there is no other plausible explanation. It took Yoda hours to convince me, but, in the end, I had no choice but to believe him." When Anakin didn't respond, rather he chose to eye the floor as he sorted his thoughts, Obi-Wan began to explain, "Does he not look curiously like you? Did you not feel some sort of connection in the Force?" he paused as he registered that Anakin's expression indicated he'd encountered the answers to both questions. "Your presence and his are so similar, that you could only be siblings." Anakin sighed and shook his head. _What else could go wrong today?_

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow and stepped back to pace while he sorted out his thoughts, "You can't be too devastated: we never actually confirmed that you were the Chosen One."

"I never cared about being the Chosen One!" Anakin suddenly snapped, "You're telling me that I have an older brother! Can you imagine the pure shock of learning you are suddenly no longer alone in your family?... And that's if I even believe you, which I don't!"

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, trying to hide his hurt at Anakin's distrust. "True, Anakin." Obi-Wan replied as he turned to face his brother-in-arms, "But that only means so much. Master Yoda believes that your brother-"

"-He's not my brother!" Anakin practically hissed, his blood burning at the thought that he had a brother. That he was not the only special one in his beloved mother's life. Tears were practically threatening to spill over at the sudden identity crisis that scenario created. And this idea was presented to him on top of that blasted Shaetin's ravings!

_Who am I really?_ Anakin wondered as he felt more than a little malice arrive into his heart. Only this time, that strange burning sensation did not overtake him. He felt no pain.

Sensing the shock and -_anger?-_ he felt in Anakin, Obi-Wan treaded lightly. "You must consider the possibility. Master Yoda believes that Darklighter was the source of that great pulse in the Force from a couple days ago. The one that burned the very darkness inside of all Force-users." He paused as he watched Anakin's eyes widen in shock. "We have visual confirmation that Count Dooku was so severely affected, his regime had to hospitalize him." Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, his ocean blue eyes suddenly filled with new concerns._ It burned the darkness in Force-users?_ He wondered as a connection dawned on him,_ Am I so filled with darkness that...?_

"Obi-Wan..." Anakin suddenly spat out, "I need to be left alone now."

He turned about as his friend nodded, his blue eyes saddened. His movements no longer held any semblance of confidence as he walked out the door. And neither did his mentor's gaze.

In a final moment of wretchedness before he released his dismay in to the Force, Obi-Wan slammed his fist against the Durasteel wall, "Blast!"

* * *

Four hours later than they'd anticipated, Luke and Leia had packed up their small acquirement of belongings and headed near the door. They weren't intending on being rude, it just didn't make any sense to wait for the senator to awaken, not when they had so much to do. And their delay didn't help the situation either. They wanted to make sure Leia would be well enough for space travel before disembarking on their new adventure. _So we go to Naboo first, _Leia wondered to her brother carefully.

After his dream the night before, it was determined that setting up a defensive line around their mother was more pertinent than acquiring new knowledge. Luke had agreed not to disappear, like he had to Dagobah years before... _or from now_, and leave Leia alone with everything. This agreement had reestablished their planning, and they swiftly moved forward in creating an itinerary.

The first stop was the Naboo system. After that, Alderaan. And from there they would follow the Senator back and determine whether it was safe for Luke to depart.

He nodded carefully, wondering exactly what they were going to find. How many sensors would they have to set up? How many places did their mother frequent?

He was so lost in thought, he barely noticed Jar-Jar approach them from the other side of the hall, giddy as can be. "Good mornings!" He cried out, practically borrowing Luci Tano's happy dance at the sight of them, "We's a ready to gets a going now. Come, come Lukees ana Layees!" Luke and Leia smiled at the Gungun, grateful for his assistance.

A speeder was waiting for them outside of the representative sweet, piloted by a clone friend who was on his way to his own transport. "Good morning Representative Binks." The clone began, saluting him from his spot in the front seat.

"Good Mornings Capatain Rex." Jar-Jar mirrored the formality as he took his place behind the man, "Thanks a yous for drivin wesa toos our ship." Rex smiled and nodded.

"No problem sir," He then eyed Luke and Leia with a grin, "Captain Rex of the 501st." He offered Luke, the nearer twin, a hand.

"Luk-" The man almost revealed, feeling something of a tremor in the Force around this man. He was so distracted by it, that he almost didn't catch his mistake, "Jacen Darklighter." He then motioned to Leia, who now had entered the speeder, "And this is my wife Jaina."

Rex stretched his hand out to her as well, "Ma'am." He replied.

Leia shook back cordially and then allowed the man to drive off into the morning traffic. After a while, however, she could not resist inquiring, "The 501st, huh?"

"Yes, ma'am." Rex answered, his eyes still locked on the restless traffic before him.

"That's General Skywalker's normal unit." She added after he offered nothing more. Rex merely nodded, "Must be fun working with a crazy man." The soldier merely shrugged, his eyes glancing into the rear view mirror to note that while Jaina looked most serious, Jacen seemed prepared to laugh at her comment. He also noted their garb and weapons.

So Rex delighted in his reply, "He's no crazier than the next Jedi ma'am." And that was when he heard Jacen Darklighter snicker.

"Amen to that, my friend."

"I see we are of the same opinion then, Mr. Darklighter." Was the captain's entry into a relaxed conversation. Jacen's reaction to his gutsy comment had revealed all he needed to know about these warriors: they were open minded. Not like some other Jedi who would use what he said about his favorite general against them both. He was not unacquainted with the politics of being a Jedi, and did his best to shield General Skywalker and Commander Tano when he could.

Luke nodded and grinned, "Well, only the best Jedi are irrevocably crazy."

"It's the only way the job gets done." Rex added. He noticed that Jaina was glancing between the two with an all knowing smile, as though their comradery pleased her. And this only relaxed him further.

"Two peas in a pod." Was all she managed before they landed at the private docks for republic employees. As Rex put the engine into park, the Darklighters rose before Binks to open the door and clear the way for him. Rex could only smile, assuming that the young couple knew the Gungun well enough to take these little precautions. Once Jar-Jar was off the speeder and their bags were removed from the truck, Darklighter approached Rex with a grin.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Captain."

Jaina was not far behind him, "Yes, I hope we meet again." Rex grinned at them both and saluted. He was eager to get on to his assignment, but glad to have met these two. Something about them felt eerily familiar. As the three waved him off, Rex put his new acquaintances into greater distance behind his speeder.

"What a nice man." Leia commented as Jar-Jar led the way to the ship. He'd been oddly quiet through that conversation and that fact had made the twins suspicious of the clone.

But now he chose to break his silence, "Capatain Rex is a good man. Ur father's best soldier, he is." The twins smiled and followed him down the lane, listening to Jar-Jar as he regaled them with tales of their father and Captain Rex on various missions.

In boarding his pristine republic ship, they soon noted that Jar-Jar was not their pilot, but rather someone else was. A droid served as his driver, which made Luke's brow furrow some. After setting his bags down, Luke crossed his arms over his chest and stared. "Are you not able to pilot?" He wondered aloud.

The grin Jar-Jar gave them was one of clear embarrassment, but his skin lacked the pigment in its cells to blush. "Yeah, well, mesa no goods atsa drivin'." Luke chuckled and headed for the console, running his hands over the controls like it were a new babe. Jar-Jar instantly recognized that look in his eye, and donned an all-knowing grin.

"Do you mind if I pilot then?"

Smiling wide, Jar-Jar assured him, "Absoleetly!" Leia chuckled as she watched her brother seat himself beside the droid, checking over the system controls to prepare them for lift off. She set her own satchel down and promptly went to assist her brother with some of the side panels. They'd traveled together enough by now to have a routine down, regardless of who piloted. And there were some days when Luke knew better than to hop into the captain's chair.

Moments later, as the still blathering Jar-Jar seated himself in a passenger seat, Luke got the clearance to lift off. As they cleared Coruscant airspace, both twins took a deep breath. They could feel their distance growing between them and their mother, but they also knew that Palpatine would soon be far enough away that hiding their potential would no longer be a concern. But even Luke was starting to feel the effects of the Gamragist in full, and he was getting very worried.

Once the Hyperdrive took them far from the galaxy's capital, the twins released a breath they didn't know they had been holding.

Turning with a grin to face their new Gungun friend, Luke suddenly asked, "So, how'd you meet both of our parents exactly?"

Jar-Jar beamed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Well, itsa alls started out with Mastering Qui-Gon Jinn. Hesa was da teacha of Obi-Wan... anoda friend."

Leia nodded as Luke added, "We knew Obi-Wan... he was my first master." Jar-Jar smiled once more, and continued his narrative with uncharacteristic poise.

"Mesa hada little problemo wit da Boss, an Qui-Gon an Obi-Wan savaded me hide." He explained, his memories suddenly becoming a lot clearer in his mind. So clear that both twins could see them like a HoloDrama. "An after dat, wesa helped da Queenie Amidala, Padme. Ba shesa be no tellin us dat shesa was da Queenie. Den we wounded up an Tatooine an met Ani."

"So you met during the Trade Federation Blockade?" Leia inquired, sending her knowledge of the event to her brother in small bursts. Luke nodded as he processed her voice echoing in his mind. Jar-Jar nodded as well, not understanding that there was more going on than met the eye.

"Yes! Ani been helpin us, an wesa all left Tatooine for Coruscant." he added with a grin, "Ba the politics der be no good. Da Chancellor wasa bit no understandin us. So wesa all be coming backs, an freed da Naboo. After was da Gunguns and da Naboo friends. It wasa oh happy day!" Luke and Leia smiled, seeing Jar-Jar's recollections of this 'happy day' clearly in their minds. Their mother, dressed in something most elaborate, was beautiful, and their father was not far from her. A small boy dressed in Padawan garb.

"Who knew that they were friends for so long." Leia mused as she sat back, wrapping her arms around herself. Luke merely nodded.

"Yous be meanings..." Jar-Jar tried carefully, "Dat yous know nothings about yous mom and dad?" Both of them nodded slowly.

"We weren't left with much after everyone died." Luke admitted with a slight sigh, "We've only uncovered what we have based on guess work. Leia is the one with our only memories of our mother." It appeared that their Gungun friend frowned.

"Das a sad ding." He told them somberly, before suddenly changing his mood to the extreme opposite. "Nows, yous be telling mesa alls about yous."

Leia chuckled as Luke sat back, "What do you want to know?" She inquired, turning to her brother with a slight grin.

Jar-Jar brought his hand to his face and made a sound as he deliberated, "Hows abouts... which one of yous is da olda one?" Chuckling unanimously, they glanced at one another before both saying 'I am" at the same time. Jar-Jar just stared at them. "Mesa nos gets it."

"We aren't joking, Jar-Jar." Luke informed him with his father's smirk, "We don't know who is older... we were born on the same day."

"We're twins." Leia added to enforce what her brother was saying, certain the Gungun might need a little more information to process this all.

And apparently she was right, as Jar-Jar appeared more stunned after her statement than anything else. "Yous be meaning dat 'lil Padme been carrying both a yous togethers?" Again they chuckled.

"Well," Luke teased the man, "We both were considerably smaller."

"Premies actually, according to our file." Leia added with gentle eyes.

Luke then added as a jesting afterthought while their pilot droid strolled on by, "That whole size issue hasn't changed much for either of us though."

Leia grinned, "True." She breathed in and admitted, "Not when you compare us to father." In hearing her say that so easily, Luke's smile widened. Just looking at her presence in the Force showed him that she had, in fact, begun her own spiritual transformation. The large dark blots on her living spirit were smaller now. But there was still much work to be done.

But Jar-Jar could not see this in the Force, he could only see how happy these twins looked. "Hey, yousa dads ain dat tall. Lookie a me!" Again, the twins chuckled at him, admitting gladly that he was the tallest of the lot. "Now... Mesa been hearing dat twins can dos dat... uh... frocki twin ding."

"The freaky-twin thing?" Leia echoed to make sure she'd understood him right. When Jar-Jar nodded, she turned to her brother, "He wants us to do the freaky-twin thing." Luke chuckled and shook his head.

"Well he'd be the first to ask for it." He informed the Gungun, "Most peopled don't like it."

His sister then added casually, "It gets old with some people."

Jar-Jar waved his hands at both of them, shrugging the concern off, "Itsa onlys for one time... justa shows mesa itsa possible."

Grinning maniacally, the twins turned to one another. Having hid their relationship for so long, they had tired their informed friends out with their unique bond. It was rare to have someone be so accepting of this strange ability between them. One powered quite a bit by the Force.

"I'm not sure what you" Luke began.

And Leia finished, "Mean by impossible, as this is certainly something"

"we are capable of." Jar-Jar's eyes went wide as the show continued, Luke smirked and added, "We could do this long"

"Before we knew we were actually twins." Leia added as she sat back into her brother's side. The bench they shared was a bit crammed, likely meant for one. But there was no other seating available. "Would you mind"

"Telling us more about the Naboo?" Luke completed her request with an identical tone, "We really need to know more"

"About our mother's connections to" Leia added as she watched the amazement in Jar-Jar's face with pure pleasure.

"Protect her best." Luke finished. Jar-Jar's jaw was dropped so low, it practically met his feet.

"Dazamazin!" He exclaimed as he hopped out of his chair, staring at them like spectacles in a circus performance, "Yous been no stoppin to be helpin o nothin. Jusa one words intos anoders!"

Leia chuckled and sat forward, "A lot of it with us is the Force. Most twins just finish each other's sentences, but we hold whole dialogues in our minds and can link up our reactions. What's unique is that no one can sense our connection through the Force, it's so innate."

"A lot of the time," Luke added from his spot leaning against the back of the chair comfortably, "I request Leia as my partner simply because our bond is so powerful. We think together, move together, act as one... but our partners aren't always so thrilled with that connection."

Leia nodded with a sigh, "We don't really like to be separated. We were most of our lives and the lack of each other's presence is so irritating, painful even, that it's hard to be gone from one another for a long while. It's like our other half is missing and a month of separation is usually as much as we can stand before we start getting all nervous."

"Which gets a little tough when your girlfriend is staying the night." Luke added dryly. He could sense Leia's chuckle after he admitted that.

"Or when you're on a three month honey-moon." Leia reminded him.

Jar-Jar's eyes went wider, "Yousa married Layees?" She nodded pridefully.

"To the worst scoundrel in the galaxy."

Luke chuckled out loud, "Or something like that." Then he begrudgingly admitted, "Though a former Emperor's Hand and assassin probably doesn't amount to anything better."

Leia smirked at him, "I like her... you should totally propose." Again, Luke sighed at her.

"I'm not ready to marry her." He admitted carefully, "Just... a... move in with her or something."

Now Leia focused her energies on her blushing brother, "What's the difference? At least you'll get tax benefits and people will give you lots of stuff at your wedding."

"Like ladles?" Luke teased her with raised brows, noticing that Jar-Jar was watching this bizarre exchange intently. Leia nodded at him proudly.

"Like ladles."

Chuckling, Jar-Jar commented on their sibling behavior, "Lukees, Layees... yous a funny bun o kida." They turned to him in confusion.

"If you don't mind us asking" Leia began.

And Luke finished, teasing the Gungun once more, "Why do you call us Lukees and Layees?"

Smiling wide, Jar-Jar explained merrily, "Yous don't be knowin' dis?... When a Gunguns hava neica or nepha, dayz a be callin dem like dat. Mi brudda hasa un daughta Dila-la, an Isa been callin her Dilalees sinsa shesa being born."

Both twins smiled at him genuinely, "Thank you... _Uncle_ Jar-Jar." Leia told him for both twins, "We are very honored that you think of us so kindly." The Gungun proceeded to smile widely.

* * *

It was light out and the doorbell was ringing... _Where's Sabe?_ She wondered in a grumble as she lifted herself up from the bed. Putting a hand to her head, she slowly stretched out and turned about to glance around the room.

It was a mess.

_What the hell happened in here?_ She wondered as she attempted to pull memories to the forefront of her mind. She remembered Anakin and talking about babies and then she glanced down and realized that only a thin sheet covered her..._ Oh my god!_

Suddenly very much awake, Padme leaped to her feet in search of any garment that would cover her, and was relieved when she found one of her husbands robes. Why it was out, she didn't know as she was pretty certain he left without showering. But she slipped into it none-the-less.

She was just barely covered in the black cloth when Sabe knocked at her door and then peaked in, "Senator Amidala?" She inquired, her eyes searching through the darkness of the room, "Are you awake?" She wanted to know.

Catching her breath, Padme nodded to the shadowed figure in the doorway, "Yes, Sabe, what is it?"

Sabe near jumped at the sound of her voice, but recovered quickly enough to reply, "Ummm, Mister Clovis is here again. He says that the escort to Scipio is delayed and he was hoping for a quick breakfast." In hearing that, Padme grumbled to herself.

"Please inform Mister Clovis that I am currently indisposed right now."

It must have been the tone in her voice, but Sabe seemed almost afraid as she turned out the door. But Padme didn't have time to care, it would take some time for her to recover from the migraine building in her head. And boy did it grow fast.

Apparently her dash to find a covering also swayed her body into retaliation. The room was spinning and even the dim light from the blinds was too much. _Nemoidian wine,_ she found herself grumbling as she attempted to hobble over towards the refresher. A good shower sounded amazing at that particular moment... _Shower..._ Padme recalled, _That's why the robe was out... he stank from working out. _

Satisfied with the one memory, Padme pulled herself into the refresher, cursing at the light as she opened the door. There was an open window, airing out the space from cleaning. And the smell of disinfectants stung her nose like fire would her arms.

Grumbling to herself now about Jaina Darklighter and drinking and praying internally that she didn't con Anakin into conceiving the night before, Padme approached the precious space known as the shower. Honestly, she hoped the steam would help her aching head. Or that she'd slip and fall and then the nightmare would be over.

_No more surprises... please!_ She begged the universe as she started the water, reaching in to feel the temperature. Just as she was about to open her robe, the door swung open.

Frozen, Padme turned to find Threepio meandering in, a glass of water in one hand and a pill in the other. "Good morning Mistress Padme!" He cried out gleefully, "I must say, you look most radiant today!"

_Just hearing his voice hurts sooo much!_ Padme grumbled internally as the droid prattled on about Clovis's apparent dissatisfaction at her refusal to breakfast. He set down the water and medication and stepped back to regard her still robe-covered figure.

"Oh, yes! I almost forgot, Mistress Padme," he started carefully before exploding into jubilation, "Congratulations!"

Putting both hands on her ears while still keeping the oversized robe closed was difficult, yet, somehow, she managed. "Congratulations for what, Threepio?" She mumbled as she glanced down at the painkiller he'd left for her, so desperate to snatch it up.

"On the babies, Mistress Padme." The dutiful droid replied.

Stunned and stupified, Padme dropped her hands and almost exposed herself, "B-babies?" she inquired carefully.

"Yes, Luke and Leia."

Padme just stared at him in suspicion, wondering if Anakin was playing a joke on her or something. _He's typically more sensitive though,_ she reminded herself as she disregarded the idea. "Luke and Leia?" She reiterated.

Threepio attempted to nod, as best as his metal joints would let him anyways, "Yes! And I must say that they are very beautiful... perfect specimens of the human form, and so smart too." He then stepped forward and added, "And Luke looks so much like Master Ani, it's rather shocking. I was expecting, with your dominant features, that he'd take more after you. Leia on the other hand-"

Padme held her hand up to stop the droid, "Threepio... what are you talking about?"

Confused, the droid stepped back and ran his protocols, "I'm not sure what you mean, Mistress Padme... I registered that you had two babies last night, a boy and a girl."

Padme shook her head, hoping that Threepio hadn't misunderstood what she and her husband actually were up to the night before. Her mind ran through many scenarios regarding her handmaidens, hoping that none of them were apprised of what the droid believed. "I didn't have any babies." She replied, "And I haven't the slightest idea where you got the idea from."

Perplexed once more, Threepio informed her, "Why, Luke and Leia were talking about it just last night." Again, Padme was stumped.

"That's impossible." She informed the droid, wondering exactly what scenario prompted this falsehood, and then blushing. She and Anakin were both very imaginative people... who knows what strange conversation or embarrassing fantasy they'd had that the droid had overheard, "You need to clear your memory banks of such rubbish." And she watched as the droid made to do so, falling into the droid-trance that accompanied running a difficult protocol, and deleting often was a difficult protocol, especially if the information effected many responses.

But, soon after, he shuttered free of his stillness, "I'm afraid I cannot, Mistress Padme... I'm afraid I am being blocked by a rogue protocol." And to that, Padme rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter, her head throbbing.

"Then keep your mouth shut about it until Anakin comes home to fix you." She ordered him, to which Threepio responded accordingly.

He was soon kicked out of the bathroom, his protocols running to assess exactly why it was his mistress was so mad at him. And Threepio was sure she was mad. She had demonstrated all the hallmarks of being mad. But, in the back of his processors, Threepio suddenly found himself wondering if it truly had been a good idea to celebrate the new members of the family at the droid spa the night before with Artoo.

_I sure hope he keeps his mouth shut,_ Threepio attempted to pray.

And Padme, she was praying too, praying that she had the courage not to call the temple and demand of her husband whether or not they'd tried the night before for a baby. But something told her she'd lose that battle.

* * *

**Author's Note: I just wanted to say thank you and credit Haley Renee for the fun suggestion of Threepio congratulating Padme! When I read that, I just couldn't resist the opportunity and it fits so well with another 'confused' droid scene I had already written. I certainly hope I did the suggestion justice :)**

**In regards to the nick names thing for Jar-Jar, after watching Padme and her Uncle Ano, I figured the twins would have had a similar relationship with Jar-Jar, had their family survived. I just couldn't resist the throwback, so I added a little to Jar-Jar's culture. I do wish there'd been more to their dialogue with Rex, but I just couldn't think of how to expand on it. Other opportunities will soon arrive though, as I hope to integrate Rex more into the story.**

**I've also been getting a hankering to update the cover art for chapters after 20, but I'm not sure what to do about that. I kind of want something funny, as this is transforming into an adventure comedy the more I write it. Part of me wanted to just show the scene as I pictured it in my head when the Skywalkers all decided Clovis was a snake at once. Just imagining all their displeased faces makes me smile. Another option is to have them in the midst of battle. The other question is whether to draw it or edit images as I have seen done in other covers. Perhaps some of you have some suggestions or tips? **

**Thanks again for your patience and please don't forget to review!**


	17. Chapter 17: Deliberations

**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**

* * *

Anhilis grinned wickedly as she watched the reknowned Senator Padme Amidala storm through her home as she packed, prepared and stressed over her upcoming summit. It was as if the woman had a death wish, approaching windows as the Sith warrior watched for a proper line of sight to eliminate her with. She'd stay long enough each time, that a possible shot was always available.

Not that she'd take it yet.

She was still convinced that her way to control and keep Skywalker as a pet was simple; capture him as an infant and leave him with someone trustworthy until she came to collect him. Strangely, a few straggling Sisters of Dathomir came to mind. _Their kind will be exterminated soon..._ she recalled with a grin,_ so they'll have nothing better to do than to corrupt and enslave a little boy until I'm ready to take him._ She smirked as she considered that she could even offer the boy's sister as payment.

It was strange how much she wanted this man, and being told that she could not have him only made him more desirable. She lusted over everything about him, his ice colored eyes, his crooked grin, his poise in the Force. She wanted all of it.

And then she wanted to break it.

The very thought of him glaring at her with Sith yellow eyes and a scowl like a monster sent a twisted shudder through her body. Having his slightly tanned skin paled and marred by darkness was so attractive to her, that she considered killing off her master just to have it. She enjoyed breaking strong men.

But then that demon would intervene.

Anhilis knew she could do nothing against Lord Demantis. He was of another caliber and she'd already accepted that. Her only hope was to operate slyly and pray that her efforts would not be in vain. She would have her Skywalker yet. And he _was_ her's.

Yet even as she watched and fantasized about the various things they would undoubtedly accomplish together, her eyes caught the return of one peculiar former-Senator. _Rush Clovis,_ Anhilis recalled as she watched the green eyed politician as he ambled over towards Amidala, being bold enough to kiss her forehead and her hand. Reading his lips indicated one thing to her.

He was playing an angle. _But why?_

So, stealthily, she activated an orb-like reconnaissance droid and motioned over towards Amidala's window. With a peculiar whirring sound, the glowing face of the droid got as close to the energy window as it could, carefully ducking out of sight so that the two in the room could not see it.

Anhilis grabbed her earpiece and listened in closely, a slight grin on her face. "_Rush?"_ She heard as she observed the man suddenly lay a sloppy kiss upon her lips. Forcefully, Amidala pushed him away. _"Stop it... we were through years ago."_

The man merely sighed and turned his eyes back towards her, "_Why are you so cold to me Padme?" _he inquired carefully, _"Have you found someone else to love?"_

And, in that moment, Padme turned away towards the window, and Anhilis could see just how threatened the woman appeared. She was pale and her eyes were widened in uncertainty. It brought a smile to her face, and then a frown.

"You can't be Skywalker's mother." She decided with a harrumph, "You're too weak." In her mind she was certain of this. Luke and Leia Skywalker could only come from a strong man and woman, and a senator was nothing more than a leech to one like Anhilis.

And then she recalled her droid and took off. The Skywalker twins had left earlier with a Gungun, and she needed to catch up to them. Or else Lady Pestilis would have a conniption.

* * *

Anakin stomped through the temple most of the day, grumbling under his breath as he attempted to process so much. His behavior was so extreme that several of the other masters turned to him in confusion. Yes, Skywalker was known for his temper and poor control of his feelings, but he was also known to keep a lot of that contained within his own bubble.

He'd just walked through the meditation gardens and practically ripped from the ground and threw a 100 year old meditation tree across the space. Even the Younglings were getting concerned.

It was after the tree collided with the intricate baas relief of the far wall that Mace Windu approached him. "That's quite a bit of attitude your showing, Skywalker."

Anakin seethed and turned to the man with a grimace, "You've no idea what I am going through Windu-"

"-That's Master Windu to you." He reminded the man sternly, "And under no conceivable circumstances should you ever behave this way." Rather than reply, Anakin chose to glower at the man. "I know this idea of you having a brother is a hard one," Windu continued carefully, "But it is something you need to accept... rejoice about even."

Anakin swallowed, knowing he was right about all if it except one thing, "He's not my brother." He then paused and added, "I'd know if he was my brother... and he's not."

Windu took a deep breath, the creases on his forehead growing deeper as he released his frustration into the Force, "Then who is he?"

Sighing, the younger man shook his head, "Something else... he's important for some reason... he's just not my brother." Windu regarded him for a while, his dark eyes piercing as always. Anakin always felt a little smaller under Windu's gaze. The man was highly judgmental, but also very forgiving, something Anakin had learned to appreciate during the Clone Wars. And, unlike many other masters in the temple who had a chip on their shoulder against Anakin, Windu at least did him the honor of listening to him.

"Then I suppose it is your job to find out just who exactly our new friend Darklighter is." Windu informed him. "He left Coruscant with Ambassador Binks this morning, his wife in tow. Air-traffic control believes they went to the Naboo System... Why not-" he was cut off as Anakin glanced away from him, "Why not..." Windu repeated to regain his always-diverted attention, "collect your Padawan a day early and follow him there?"

"Follow him?" Anakin echoed, surprised.

Windu nodded stoically, "His movements make no sense to us and considering that he has so much power, the Council believes it an imperative to keep a close eye on him." The master then stood up straighter, "Knight Potkin believes that he has the power-equivalent of Yoda, so be vigilant. We need to understand this man."

Swallowing before nodding, Anakin bowed to the oddly understanding Master, "Thank you Master Windu." He said cordially.

Windu bowed back to him, "May the Force be with you, Skywalker."

* * *

The Padawans were convening together, hiding in secret in the air ducts to get a good view of the top secret, High Council meeting. Most all of them had gathered together, ready to state their piece should the worst happen. All of them had the same interest in this most restricted of gatherings. All of them.

Especially Mina and Luci.

Three days ago, Mina had overheard two Twil'eks discussing their intended raid on the High Council for this very night. It hadn't taken her more than two seconds to decide to volunteer and assist them. As fate would have it, she was not alone. The whole rank of Padawan was stepping up. Stepping up to defend their favorite Jedi Master.

Quietly, they had crawled into the ducts. Swiftly, they had climbed the sides of the towers. And carefully, they deactivated every security field that the Masters had access to.

They knew the risk. They understood what they were sacrificing. If they were not united and careful, their whole way of life could be swept up into the winds. But that did not matter. None of it did. All week, the resounding mantra of the Padawans was simply _There is no Order without Master Skywalker._

At last, the doors opened, revealing the masters. Each one meandered in at their own pace, their cloaks raised as though to protect their images from the heinous discussion they were about to have. Mina swallowed at the sight of them through the vents and looked to her sister for strength. Luci never faltered. Her life had been too safeguarded to understand true fear yet.

Silently, the masters took their seats, seemingly unaware of the many Padawans hiding in their vents. Corran Horn raised his hand, acting as the official moderator of the meeting. In doing so, the proceedings began. "I move to have the official meeting of the Jedi High Council commence."

"Agreed." Came the grumbling voice of Saba Sebatyne, "Though, perhapss, the Padawanss should join uss."

Mina and Luci gulped synonymously, as did every other Padawan in the ventilation system.

Silently, the troupe filed out of their hiding places, each with a stubborn and yet guilty look upon their faces. It was in presenting themselves on the floor that Mina recognized just how important her master was. Almost every child in the building was there, each with a gait that showed they were ready to defend their cause.

Master Reubak was the first to address this issue, "The Padawans have no place in this conversation." He pointed out, "They haven't the rank!"

Mina sighed as she watched an older Padawan, Reubak's own Padawan, in fact, step forward. He was a Muun, tall and stoic, by then name of Ger Mirara, "I disagree, master... Master Skywalker is a pivotal part of our order and training and we all believe we have the right to assist in determining his fate."

Reubak scowled, "Yet none of you intend to assist in any deliberations... you intend to strong arm this council into meeting with your wishes." Ger swallowed at that retort, and turned towards Master Sebatyne for assistance. She had always been particularly understanding, which was a shock for most who knew the Barabels.

But it was Corran Horn who came to their defense, "They may not have rank to vote, Master Reubak, but they have the right to express their own concerns about the outcome of this decision." Reubak swallowed and grumbled a bit, clearly not liking that retort.

"They don't even understand what we're meeting about..." He pointed out in a huff. And that was when Mina stepped forward with an uncanny demonstration of bravery.

"You want to stop looking for Master Skywalker and Padawan Solo!" She decreed and with her brazenness, the whole of the Padawan around her broke out in shambles of complaints and reasonings behind their opposition to this. The noise was so grand, that even the patient Master Horn was growing tired of it. Eventually, with a wave of his hand, he pushed his own Force-presence through the room to silence them.

"We have agreed to listen to your statements," he warned the troupe, "But that does not mean you may deny us order... We, the High Council, will not act swiftly on this issue, and we will give you the floor so long as your patience prevails." And with that, every Padawan straightened up to attention, ready to do their part.

And Mina was more than ready to say what had to be said about her Master. She would not let him just be dead without proof. She knew in her heart that she would find him.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry about how short the chapter is... I've sort of run into writers block. There is more story written, but it isn't ready for you to read it yet. I haven't had much in the realm of time lately to properly prepare and improve my stories to their usual quality... that and I've been so overly exhausted that I can't really envision how best to compile my ideas. **

**And I won't post something until it is ready, since I can't change or retract what I do once it is up.**

**Please be patient. I can no longer guarantee a weekly or even bi-weekly post, but I do promise that when I do post, the quality will remain intact. **

**I thank you for your understanding in this situation and I will do my best to return to my schedule once I'm through this nasty string of writer's block and lack of time.**


	18. Chapter 18: Mathematics of Time Travel

_**Author's Note: Hi everyone! I finally got there, free of my writer's block! Sorry that it took so long, but man, there were some things wrong with what I'd planned in terms of the story. Characters weren't acting like themselves and plot points were getting buried under confusing passages. It was not a fun thing to figure out, but now it is and I am happy with it. **_

_**I hope it was worth the wait and thank you for your support and patience!**_

**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**

* * *

Padme was proud of herself. She watched with a slight grin tugging at her lips as Rush Clovis stomped out of her door. She'd put her foot down most sternly, having not only slapped the outspoken man, she threatened to never speak to him again if he ever attempted such antics.

First the kiss and then the invasion of privacy! Still convinced that she didn't hit him hard enough, Padme harrumphed and sat down on her sofa, replaying the scene in her mind.

She knew he wouldn't report her behavior to the authorities, that would injure his reputation as much as hers. But she also knew he wasn't quite done with her yet. That gleam of worry in his eyes said as much to her. _But why is he worried?_ She wondered, her eyes drifting towards the door to her bedchamber...

She'd caught him rummaging through her room for something, though what that could be, she didn't understand. All of her important, confidential information was locked away in her office. _What could he have hoped to gain in here?_ She wondered.

So, to be sure nothing was stolen or tampered with, Padme worked through both of her dressers slowly. She turned some things over, and yet found nothing.

So she stood upright and moved over to her next dresser. This one housed all her fancy slips, stockings and her military grade clothes. But, once again, everything was intact. So she brought a finger to her lips, tapping them nervously as she thought. And then her eyes turned towards the only two drawers she kept locked.

Anakin's drawers.

With a slightly trembling hand, she reached for her pocket where the key to them was kept. Only she and Anakin had access to these drawers. Oftentimes he would leave a change of clothes there for his overnights, and she would hold on to his dirty clothes, washing them herself one morning or another. It was one of the few tasks she took pride in as his clothes were some of the best kept in the Order, she'd noticed, and she knew it wasn't from his lack of roughhousing. Clothes were something she enjoyed and keeping his under the best of care was something she excelled at.

But those thoughts were pushed aside as she pulled the top drawer open. Inside, she found Anakin's brown and black overshirts and white undershirts, still folded as she'd last left them. Below them was his spare lightsaber, a blade that glowed orange and did not have the length of his regular weapon, but he kept it with her none-the-less. He'd even shown her how to use it, just to be sure she could should the time call for it.

_He really is a good husband,_ Padme mused with a smile as she ran her hands along the blade's hilt, _even if he has his flaws... he does his best._

She then began to close the drawer, but stopped when she noticed something out of place in one of the corners. There, she found a small, folded-up piece of linen.

Reaching for it, she began unfolding it, one square at a time until it became apparent what she'd found. It was a handkerchief etched with the initials RC. _Rush Clovis!_ Padme realized, especially as she recognized the design on the handkerchief. It was layered with small stars and twisting ribbons of purple and green. The design was lovely, one of her favorites, as she'd made it herself back when they were together.

_He knows!_ She gasped as she panicked and stepped back.

Unsure of what to do, Padme reached up to close the drawer, but didn't have the control over her trembling limbs to do so._ What am I going to do?_

She was dumbstruck a moment, figuring that Clovis intended to expose Anakin's affair to the order. It was known to many senators that Jedi who struggled with the code often were sent to another planet for seclusion and meditation. Anakin had yet to be sent, but the threat had been made several times. Though, if the fact that they were married ever got out, both of them knew he'd be expelled.

Then there was her career.

The other idea was that Rush intended to blackmail her to protect Anakin, which was why he'd been so cocky before. Which left her with no other option than to comply and be sweet to him.

So rather than waste any time and have one of her maids spot her dismay, Padme dashed into her walk-in closet and grabbed her stash of her dark shifts and clothes. Then she began ripping all of Anakin's stuff from the drawer, including his lightsaber, which she deactivated by removing its focusing crystal. She quickly set her own things up to look just like his.

It wasn't much, but it might fool a few investigators.

Already she was forming a plausible explanation in her mind as she buried Anakin's clothes into the safe in her closet, on top of all her spare cash and a passport. Lastly, she put the golden focusing crystal in her pocket, noticing that the gleam inside of it was strangely brighter than usual.

By the time Sabe had entered her room, Padme was completely collected.

* * *

Rush Clovis sighed as he meandered towards the starskiff that was to take him back to Scipio for the investigation. He knew it would be around a month before he could see Padme again and that worried him. It seemed his tipster had been accurate.

Nearly three days ago, he'd been sent an anonymous collection of data that detailed a list of peculiar observations made on the senator. She'd been seen in the late hours with an unexpected guest, one Anakin Skywalker. When Rush saw the profile, he near panicked. He could live with the idea of Padme loving another. In fact, he hoped that for her, he really did... Though he hoped to reclaim her heart quite a bit more.

But he could not stomach the idea of her risking her career over some overzealous Jedi.

Padme was admirable, brilliant and pure. She made all decisions with a pristine sense of duty that he could only aspire for... and he often failed to meet her caliber when he tried. _Miserably,_ he realized with chagrin.

Many people still associated him with his horrific deeds turning against the Republic, and he couldn't blame them, but he also knew that it was pointless to hold him accountable for those things the rest of his life... not when he could do some good. Or, at least he hoped that was the case.

That was why he was glad Padme was to assist him with these investigations. He could still do some good by warding her away from that Skywalker guy. Even if his exploits on Scipio were a total bust, if he could protect her career by getting her away from that man, he'd done one good thing for the galaxy. Of that he was certain.

That was why he'd left his handkerchief in her drawer. Though he hated the thought of it, he was desperate to scare her away from Skywalker. Desperate to get her to start thinking about what this could mean for her future.

Something deep inside told him that she was the galaxy's true salvation.

He hoped and prayed that his bold move would be enough to ready her for the impeding discussion he wanted to have with her. And it saddened him to have to wait nearly a month to have it.

So, with a deep sigh, he sat down in his seat between two investigating clones and one senatorial assistant from Rodia. _Good luck, Padme._ He wished as they departed into space.

* * *

Luke and Leia landed on Naboo very safely with Luke at the controls. Jar-Jar merely smirked as he appraised Luke's ability, comparing him to his father as though the man weren't an evil monster. And that was refreshing, despite knowing what would become of him.

The three of them disembarked happily, wide smiles on all of their faces. "Thank you Uncle." Luke reached out to shake the Gungun's hand, but Jar-Jar would hear nothing of it, choosing to embrace the man warmly before capturing his sister up in his arms too. The two laughed along with their newly found 'uncle' as he wished them well before meeting up with the chief of security for the palace. The twins watched the two men a moment and proceeded to their first destination: the Lake Country.

Jar-Jar had informed them that Padme's family had owned a large estate out that direction, and that she personally had her own private section that she frequented whenever she returned home. Knowing that this would be a very likely place to attack her, the twins resolved to set up their own surveillance and connections in the area.

Thanks to their discussions with Jar-Jar, Luke and Leia had acquired one of the Gungun's swoopbikes, which allowed them to traverse the space much faster than by public transportation. With their satchels strapped to the sides of the bike, Leia drove while Luke napped on her back, having still been exhausted from his tenure on the floor in their supposed mother's apartment. It never ceased to amaze her how easily Luke tapped into their bond, even while sleeping, he unconsciously leaned into each turn as Leia made them, making the drive as smooth as if he were awake. Part of her wondered if she was as attuned.

Leaving the outskirts of Theed took no time at all as city melted away to a fortified wall and then to endless fields and forests. The planet was beautiful, and Leia wished her brother could witness all of it, though she figured he'd probably see it all later on their way back. Following Jar-Jar's instructions, the young warrioress steered the swoop bike into a small valley, taking all the turns at well beyond the speed limit. 200 clicks and hour was hardly an issue for her. _I am a Skywalker, afterall._ She smirked proudly as she zipped past yet another lollygagging speeder on the dirt road.

The humans inside of that ride had a few things to say to her as she passed, not that she cared.

With a devilish grin on her face, Leia ripped through the next corner easily, finally spotting the Lake Country. Jar-Jar had told her it would talk about three hours to get there, but Leia could only smirk as she realized they'd only taken an hour.

Slowing her bike down, Leia scanned the horizon with her eyes and the Force to find the water speeder dock. There were several restrictions on the use of many high-powered vehicles over the lakes, as the upscale Nubians wanted to protect this precious resource and the creatures that lived there. She knew she'd be abandoning the swoopbike about now anyways, simply because she and her brother could not navigate this area on their own.

"Time to wake up sleepy-head." Leia called to her brother as she coasted the bike through the yellow reeds of Naboo's tall grass. "We're switching rides now."

Luke grumbled a minute before replying with "five more minutes mom..." This brought a chuckle to Leia's face as she parked the swoop next to the large, wooden building that sat upon the first of the many lakes.

Removing her helmet, as she never took safety lightly, Leia stopped to regard the area. _Simply gorgeous._ She decided with a faint smile. All around her were tall grasses lined by tall trees. Large creatures could be sighted grazing on the far plains as the burbling lakes and rivers reflected the sun's light gently into her eyes. The sounds of birds flying in the distance could be heard, even as swamp insects hummed away contentedly.

"What a sight." Her brother commented from behind her as he blinked his eyes awake, "I wonder if this is where we would have grown up."

Smiling widely, Leia nodded, "I'm sure it is... mother comes here all the time, remember?" Luke nodded, waiting a few more moments before breaking the spell of the lakes and standing up to collect his things. Leia followed shortly after.

The people of the area must have been wealthy, because both the inside and the outside of the water speeder dock and rental service were positively beautiful. Narrow, bending and twisting wood decorated almost every aspect of the shop, and the people inside were well clothed and, perhaps, a bit too well fed.

Luke and Leia smiled at the middle-aged woman running the desk, her gray and blond hair twisted into an intricate bun. But she, in taking in their Jedi inspired garb, had difficulty smiling back.

"How may I help you?" She started with a slight nervousness in her voice, "Masters Jedi?"

Luke turned to Leia for a moment before his sister answered for them, far better at playing any sort of talking game than her brother. "We were hoping to book a ride out to this address." She informed the woman as she placed a DataPad that Jar-Jar had given her during their space flight on the desk. The woman collected the small note-keeper into her hands and read the Gungun's note quickly.

"This is the Naberrie Family residence." The clearly very tired lady responded, "I'm not authorized to allow any onto that isle without her prior permission."

Leia nodded, understanding, "We have Senator Amidala's permission. We're two of her bodyguards at the moment." The woman suddenly dropped the DataPad down low and gawked at her.

"Jedi guards again!" She nearly cried out, "Tell me! What will it take to get Nute Gunray away from our beloved former Queen?! There were already security officials here to check her home out earlier this week. Now Jedi!" Luke suddenly addressed something she'd said that he didn't like.

"Who were these officials?" He inquired carefully, pouring his good intentions into the Force.

The woman obeyed his suggestion, "They were... a couple of servicemen. Two human males and a Togruta female... They'd come to update the security at the residence." Luke swallowed, relieved that their enemies hadn't intruded upon their mother's home, but not liking that someone had regardless.

_You feel that, don't you? _Luke checked with Leia, who nodded slowly.

_Someone's up to frame our mother for something._ Leia replied, _The question is what._

Leaning forward and pouring even more good emotions into the Force, Leia smiled and asked of her, "Would you have security footage of these three? They might be the ones we are looking for."

The woman suddenly laughed, Sarla was her name, "I doubt it... I know those three well and they work in all the buildings. Everything's right as rain with them." Luke and Leia both nodded at her, realizing that she was right in her assumption, but not willing to relent.

"Then you wont mind giving us their image, simply so that we can officially remove them from our list of suspects." Luke interceded, regaining his control over the woman.

She smiled at him warmly, her eyes glossed over strangely, "Absolutely."

While she turned about to collect the photo, Luke and Leia sighed. They'd found their mother, most probably. Now guarding her was proving to be a real challenge. _I'm starting to understand father's over-protectiveness of her. _Luke admitted. Leia merely nodded.

When Sarla returned with the data, Leia inputted the image into her DataPad and thanked the woman graciously. The image was exactly as she said, three unsuspecting maintenance workers doing their job. Luke and Leia turned to one another, still not liking this. Something about them did not seem right. Soon after, they were booking their speeder towards their mother's residence.

* * *

Anakin sighed as his ship landed over Mandalore. In a matter of moments, he would be opening the Twilight's hatch and allowing his Padawan inside. They had very little time to waste before the Darklighters' trail would dissipate and he really wanted to prove he was an only child.

The hyperspace jump from Mandalore to the Naboo would last only about seven hours, but it was still long enough to give the Darklighters an even greater lead, and he would not stand for that.

Clearly Ahsoka could sense his anxiousness as she awaited his arrival beside Duchess Satine Kryze and her nephew Korky. Crossing her arms over her chest, the young Togruta stepped forward nervously as Anakin exited his restoration project. And her sudden fear brought his compassion back from the depths of hyperspace.

"Hello Snips." Anakin greeted warmly, surprising Ahsoka back into her usual self, "I hear you've done quite an excellent job here."

Smiling widely, Ahsoka informed him, "Only thanks to your teachings, master." That compliment widened Anakin's grin just a bit more, "I hear we have a new mission... one that is extremely confidential." Her master nodded, his eyes turning towards the approaching monarch.

This was not their first meeting, but Anakin felt he knew the Duchess well enough not to have to be too formal. She was a very regal woman, decorated well at all times, despite the fact that her light blond hair sometimes became very unruly. She had bright blue eyes that showed her shrewdness in the political arena, and a narrow face that showcased all her expressions clearly. She was very beautiful, kind and respected, and loved deeply by none other than his former master Obi-Wan.

But only he really knew about that.

"We must thank you for loaning us your Padawan, Master Jedi." She began cordially, "Ahsoka's services have done Mandalore well..." She then turned back to Ahsoka with a pure-hearted smile, "We welcome your return, Padawan Tano."

Korky then stepped forward, "And more lessons too... I feel you are a great teacher." The assemblage of students beside him all nodded and grunted in agreement.

And Ahsoka smiled widely at them, "Thank you all." She said with Jedi poise that would make Master Windu jealous. And then she turned back towards Anakin. "I'm ready when you are, Master."

And Anakin smiled at her, uncrossing his arms before turning back towards the duchess, "Duchess." He nodded respectfully, to which she nodded back.

"May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker." She replied gracefully.

It took hardly a minute on the ship for Ahsoka's perfect manners to fade away. As soon as the door closed, she promptly changed her stride to that of a younger learner and bounced beside her master eagerly, "So... what is our mission?" She wanted to know.

Anakin sighed and shook his head, "That sure didn't last long." He teased her, making the girl puff her face out in frustration. They walked a little ways farther, entering the cockpit as they did. Artoo waited for them eagerly, bleeping and blooping away in binary as they sat down.

"Well..." Ahsoka pressed as Anakin keyed in their launch codes. He still chose to ignore her out of sheer brotherly love. And she couldn't stand it much more.

"We are tracking down two unknown suspects." Anakin finally told her as Mandalore began melting away into the background of the ship.

"Unknown suspects how?" Ahsoka wanted to know, staring at him slyly as she did.

Anakin swallowed his frustration, "Well, for starters... they are operating on two very vague aliases... their original identities have yet to be determined..."  
The young Togruta waited a while before she pressed, "And?"

"And..." Anakin tried to pull himself together, not liking sharing information that felt like a lie, "Master Yoda seems to think that one of them is my brother."Silence... silence was all he heard.

As they cleared Mandalore's farthest moon, Anakin glanced over towards Ahsoka, noting the shocked look on her face. Her jaw was hanging open as she attempted to collect words. "You're _brother_?" She fathomed with an astonished voice, "Do you even have a brother?"

Chuckling to himself, Anakin nodded, "A stepbrother and nothing more... I've no living blood relatives-"

"-That you know of." Ahsoka cut him off as she usually did. Though this irritated Anakin, he shrugged it off and continued to set the computer for hyperspace.

As the hyperdrive warmed up, Anakin corrected her, "He isn't my brother... I can tell." He then sighed and turned to Ahsoka seriously, "We just have to prove it." She noted his candor and nodded back to him.

"But what if he is your brother?"

Anakin paused, trying to find an answer inside himself, but every cell in his body kept insisting that wasn't the case. "He isn't." Was all he could say. As they made the jump into hyperspace, Artoo suddenly beeped something out at the two of them.

Ahsoka had been trying to learn binary so she could talk to the droid more efficiently, but even she had to inquire, "Come again?"

Anakin, however, was seated in the pilot's seat with a look of sheer dumbfoundment on his face, "No, Artoo, he is definitely not my son." Ahsoka sniggered when she heard that, missing Artoo's reply, "What do you mean, how do I know? He's older than me by, I dunno, seven years." Again Artoo responded to Anakin's incredulity with a series of beeps and whistles. And Anakin could only laugh.

"Yes, Artoo, usually the parent has to precede the offspring."

As Ahsoka fought with her chuckles some more beside her equivocally amused master, Artoo continued to state his case. "Well," Ahsoka replied back, "We all know that Threepio tends to make mistakes." Anakin nodded in agreement.

"Guess I'll have to tune him up when we get back." He added with a laugh, "Jason Darklighter... my son... how absurd!" There was a pause before Artoo added more of his opinion, to which both Jedi could not help but laugh out loud at, "No way Artoo!" Anakin replied as he fought off his chorlte, "There isn't a possibility in a long series of possibilities that Jaina Darklighter is my daughter... they're married."

Artoo continued to attempt at being helpful while arguing with his master, Ahsoka seated nearby watching the stars fly by as she laughed on at this unusual debate. "Wow, Skyguy," She found the strength to comment, "You're some bang up father... must have screwed that one up the first day." Anakin rolled his eyes.

And, the ever helpful Artoo added his take on the situation. His bleeps and bloops were more reserved, as if sensing, somehow, that he was in rough territory. "Ah..." Anakin teased him, "So they are in disguise... imagine that." Ahsoka continued to chuckle into her hand, trying hard not to insult the reliable droid.

But Artoo would not relent to his master's sarcasm, nor the Padawan's laughter, and he asserted his opinion in his most final intonations. And his normally obedient master replied in kind, "Artoo, it is physically impossible for a man like myself to have two, fully grown, adult kids... that happen to be older than me." That final note had Ahsoka breaking down in laughter while her master continued to argue with the droid, "Time travel is impossible Artoo, you know that." The bleeps and bloops returned, "NO, I am not having a mathematical debate with you about time travel."

More beeps and squeals as Artoo's voice waned. "And take _that_ into consideration!" Anakin shot back at the droid, starting to grow tired of his incessant persistence, "You're reliable source is Threepio... he has a flawed subroutine that I wrote into him when I was eleven titled 'Anakin is awesome'... why do you think he has so many occasional errors in association judgment? That's probably what happened."

This time, Artoo relented, but only a little. He trusted his friend Threepio more than he let on.

"Fine!" Anakin agreed to the droid's proposal, "If you're right, I'll by you that new soldering arm you've wanted so badly..." again the droid added in more requirements, "And extra RAM." Ahsoka could only chuckle at the sight of them arguing, before she added.

"Aren't Jedi forbidden to have kids." Anakin deflated a bit in hearing that.

He shook his head and replied with an exasperated, "Please don't start Snips."

Even as she chuckled along side him, Anakin found his mind going. After Artoo's outrageous suggestion, he found himself wondering if it was so impossible to count Jacen Darklighter as his brother. _It would make more sense than son, at least,_ he laughed to himself.

* * *

Zion had watched anxiously as his mother boarded the pitiful little ship that had nearly pulverized itself upon entering the atmosphere. He was astounded as he watched the young Darth Vader exit the ship with that familiar gait, yet act so warmly towards his beloved mother. His expression was one of pride, something Zion had always kept to himself about his family. There was always something to be proud of... even his father was a great man.

_Father,_ he mused to himself, wondering if it was almost more important he look after him. Zion knew that Anakin Skywalker would keep his mother safe, he had no doubts in his mind about that. But his father was another person to worry about.

In terms of stature, he wasn't all that important right now. But that didn't mean Zion would not want to watch over him. He was only human, not Jedi, and he was prone to make mistakes as much as the next unguided soul. And he was likely to become a target as things progressed in this war. Especially of that Demantis character that was so adamant to cause trouble. Zion had already wagered that everyone breathing in this time was a probable casualty, regardless of their significance, affiliation or location.

Taking a deep breath as he stared at his mother's petite form disappearing into the hold of the small ship, Zion steeled himself for the most important decision of his life. _Mother or father?_ He wondered, _Now I'm starting to feel like those damned Skywalkers._

But the tenderness of Skywalker could not escape him. Had the world been ideal, would he have been under Luke's instruction? It only seemed just. The idea even brought a smile to his face.

Yet, that smile was forced to fade as a dark shadow slid past his peripherals. Suddenly, he was very aware of a very cold presence in the Force.

* * *

The swishing of the waters was, perhaps, the most relaxing part of their journey. It comforted Luke exponentially as he napped inside the gondola speeder, allowing his sister to enjoy the view while he rested. As far as he could tell, she seemed content in surveying the slowly changing landscape, dreaming of what it would have been like to grow up here.

And through her eyes, this area was truly magical. She could see herself hiking and playing all over the place with her brother, her mother never far... and maybe even her father. A smile grew on her face as she spotted some rapids in the distance, knowing, somehow, in her heart of hearts that those rapids would have been a topic of dissension between her parents. Or perhaps both would agree on forbidding them and Luke and Leia would sneak off one day to prove to their parents that they were quite capable of navigating them. _We would have been trouble makers._ She was certain.

Luke smirked, _would have been?_

"We are almost here, Mrs. Darklighter," Their heavily tanned gondola driver informed her as steered the speeder to the left. He scowled a moment beneath his sweaty beard and reached for his handkerchief to wipe more perspiration away. "Perhaps you should wake Mr. Darklighter."

Leia smiled and nodded, "Thank you, sir." She replied, having already forgotten his name. He'd introduced himself once when they'd first boarded in the town that was across the way from Varykino Island, but Leia had become so entranced by her experiences that few other things remained in her mind. He'd been recommended as Amidala's choice driver by their original guide down the lakes. Apparently he was one of few locals with access to the large estate.

The driver smiled back at her and nodded, "My pleasure, Mrs. Darklighter..." He then nodded as they reached the large estate belonging to the Naberrie Family. "If there is anything more I can do for you, please," he pulled out a card, "Just give me a ring."

Leia took the card with a grin, noticing her brother was already stirring to life. She knew he was a light sleeper, but she as really starting to worry about him. "We will."

When it became time to disembark, Leia led the way while Luke carried both their packs. The driver had made a comment about his lacking a gentleman's approach, and Luke had worried that he'd blow their cover if he didn't react. So, they hopped onto land and climbed the stone steps towards the main house on the island, hoping to discern where was most frequented by their mother.

The estate was clearly very private, as there was no reception desk here, nor any other houses. Those who came to this particular isle were obviously in search for solitude. The walls themselves were very warm, and the plants made the many open spaces feel more isolated and inviting. What they were really looking for were not the accommodations, but rather the sensation that belonged to their mother in the Force.

This place was expensive, especially for Luke, who still viewed luxury through a peasant's eye. In many ways, he was overwhelmed by the luxuries his sister had once taken for granted on Alderaan. She was actually amused by how much he fought to understand what he'd been deprived of as a child and was surprised when he appeared relieved not to have any of this in his history.

"Well..." Luke commented dryly as he realized he needed a bit more oomph in the Force, "I guess its a good thing no one can feel our presence out this far." Leia chuckled as she reached out with her instincts, following her far better tracker of a brother as they meandered towards the farthest end of the villa. And, suddenly, he stumbled.

And Luke never stumbled.

Leia immediately launched forward, resting a worried hand on her brother's shoulder, "Are you all right?" He shrugged and shook his head, clearly catching his breath.

"I'm fine..." he told her, trudging onwards with their packs. Leia watched him a moment, then shrugged herself before taking off after him. Swiftly, she stole her pack and stared him down. But in staring, she noticed something particularly disturbing.

"What?" He finally pressed, clearly getting a little irritated in his exhaustion.

At first she didn't reply, and when she did, she stuttered, "You... you look older... like you're in your fifties or something." But, even as she gawked in horror at her brother's astounded expression, Leia felt a bit of fire well up in her chest, "You're presence almost disappeared from me and you dare ask me 'what?'"

Luke rolled his eyes, trying to not let on that Leia was starting to age too, with new lines appearing on her face, "It didn't disappear. It retracted."

Leia's eyes went wide as she heard that, processing all the possible reasons her brother's aura would pull inward, "You're still hurt? And you've been pushing yourself at level?" Luke sighed, stopping to turn and face his sister with a pained expression, "You... don't do that! Obviously somethings wrong and your body is starting to react to it." She ordered him with her fear in her eyes.

"I'm fine." Luke assured her, staring at her with his icy blue eyes intent.

Leia sighed and marched on after her escaping brother, practically stomping with each step. "You're not fine! You're body is trying to heal itself... and you're pushing the envelope." Choosing to ignore her, Luke rounded the corner at the end of the Villa and spotted the place he'd been looking for: their mother's home.

And his jaw dropped at the view she had.

Unlike the patios, her's faced directly into the beautiful lake. In the distance an island could be seen, and it appeared that the lake was calm enough, one could even swim to it. The home itself was of classic Nubian design, with intricate patterns carved into a light brown stone and windows that had iron cross-beams painting pictures. There were several doors out and most of them were window like. And the home was fortunate to have enough outdoor seating for even Leia to host a banquet.

"This place is beautiful." His sister commented, forgetting her argument with her brother. Luke nodded beside her, dropping his pack as he surveyed this outdoor space. And as he did... he spotted what was likely the first of many pinpoint cameras. His eyes almost missed it hidden inside a potted plant. Carefully, he reached for it and pulled it free of the soil.

It was small, like a needle with a tiny little glass orb a the end. He turned to Leia to present his discovery. She paled at the sight of it.

"We have work to do." He told his sister.

* * *

_**Author's Note Part II: Y**__**aaay! Clovis is gone for a good while! And I mean it! Though I must ask what you all thought of his character change? He struck me as a very fallible human being, and I felt I wasn't conveying that so well before. Either way, I'm glad to be free of his drama for a while to focus on more Skywalker stuff... and next chapter should be very heartwarming for those of you who enjoy that stuff!**_

_**Rest assured, those of you who really want to see him gone... he's gone for a long while!**_

_****__**Also, this chapter has literally one of my most favorite scenes thus far! I bet you can guess which one too. I wrote it a while ago, trying to come up with something that would make the accusation that Luke is Anakin's brother more plausible to him and I think it was hilariously successful. If something seems outrageous to someone, you only have to point out that it isn't the craziest idea out there and leave it to Artoo to innocently do that. I hope that section had you all laughing out loud! **_

_**I must admit that getting this to you all was very difficult, as my computer crashed and I almost lost everything... It seems I have a lot of bad luck right now, so we'll see if I have any more delays in my posting. I sure hope not, as I am super excited to get through to the first episode of the clone wars series I'd planned to cover in this story (that is in actual order). **_

**_Again, thank you for your kind words and support during this difficult stage of story writing. I certainly hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to hearing your reactions to it._**

**_Till the next time!_**


	19. Chapter 19: Proximity Tells

**_Author's Note: Here is a little chapter that serves as my thank you. I'll be returning to my weekly schedule now, but thought I'd give you all this anyways. Again, I really appreciate your patience and support as I work on this large story. It looks like I won't be changing the cover art yet, simply because I lack the time to do it. I'll try and have something pulled together sometime soon._**

******Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**

* * *

Zion Tano sighed as he watched his mother disembark from the Twilight. He hated to see her go, but he knew that his arrival on the Naboo would prompt too many questions. Pestilis's dreams of killing Skywalker were hardly his own, and he didn't want to be too close to the truth, lest his master catch wind of it. As it was, he wasn't sure if Demantis had his tail. That shadow from Mandalore brought about too many quesetions.

So as he watched his beloved mother meander down the Nubian spaceport, meeting with a peculiar creature spouting three-thousand watts of energy, give or take, he forced Zion Tano away. Forced him deep into the depths of his darkness as he reawakened Darth Devaro once more.

And someone felt that transformation.

Ahsoka turned for only a moment in response to a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. She managed to spot another Togruta, a tall male, raise his hood and stomp off towards another ship. Confused, she reached out with the Force to determine who he was, and was surprised to find that he was Force-sensitive and withdrawn. But the looming figure only held her attention for a moment.

"Ani!" Jar-Jar's cry suddenly drew her focus back to the task at hand, "Whatsa yous doing here?" Anakin shrugged, turning his eyes away.

"I'm here on business Jar-Jar." He started, his temper not having been improved much since Mandalore. He knew he was close to Darklighter, he could feel his astounding presence in the Force. The vastness of his abilities troubled him, as he was clearly a distance away yet still felt so strong, and he wondered if only he was picking up on it right now. But he dare not ask Ahsoka in front of Jar-Jar. "What I would like to know is why you escorted the Darklighter's to Naboo?"

Taken aback at the accusing tone in his voice, Jar-Jar swallowed, "Desa beings mesa friends." He assured Anakin as best he could, "Desa good a people an bombad warriors. Like yousa!" Anakin swallowed, crossing his arms. He didn't want to be compared to the Darklighters in any way.

"Representative Binks." Ahsoka started formally, using her sweetest voice yet, "The Jedi council believes that the Darklighters are deceiving them... that they do not work for Queen Julia or the Dagoyan, could you help us prove whether these theories are true or not?" Jar-Jar gulped, turning his eyes away once more.

"Da Jedi Council worries about Lukeeys and Layees?" He replied innocently, "But theysa good! Wonderfuls eben!" Anakin took note of one thing.

"Are those their real names?" He wanted to know, "Lukeeys and Layees?" Realizing his slip, Jar-Jar did his best to cover.

"No... desa Jacen and Jaina." He assured Anakin, who furrowed his brow once more. Jar-Jar couldn't fool a Jedi, much less a regular person.

Suspiciously, Anakin walked around Jar-Jar a moment, almost interrogating his friend, "I've heard 'Jaina' call 'Jacen' Luke before... are you sure you're not hiding something from us?" Again Jar-Jar gulped, but then he decided that the whole situation was out of sorts and reverted to his characteristic childishness.

"Ya, probably..." He chuckled at his friend, "But yousa be no learnings from mesa, whadda really going on wida Darklighters."

Anakin crossed his arms, "Jar-Jar." He warned. But his friend had already decided on the only possible way he'd allow Anakin to know anything more about his honorary niece and nephew. And he was sticking to his guns, which meant a lot as a Gungun.

"Ask em." He replied casually, "Des a been answering alla mesa questions... Ask em."

But before a frustrated and grumbling Anakin could lay into that remark, his cool headed Padawan intervened, "That's a great idea!" Her smile was as wide and as genuine as she could force in that moment. Holding her super-powerful master back with an arm didn't seem all that smart at the moment, but she wasn't his Padawan for nothing. "Could you tell us where we would find them?"

Realizing he'd found a great compromise, in which he, himself, did not compromise the twins' identities, Jar-Jar nodded eagerly, "Desa been visiting Padme's villa. Goin ders to lookie sure it is safe."

"To make sure its safe?" Anakin's eyes went wide, "Why?"

Jar-Jar shrugged, "Some bombad dark-Jedi wantsa Padme dead, an Lu- an Jacen an Jaina wantsta be makin sure desa don't getsa der wish." Anakin, suddenly panicking, thought he had the story figured out in his head. _Hiding out with Bail right before Padme get's dawn into that banking scandal! They knew what was going on the whole time!_

"If they wanted to keep Padme safe," he challenged his friend as fear overtook him, "Then why did they leave her on Coruscant?" He then dashed off towards the military portion of the hangar, desperate to find a ride. Ahsoka sighed as she watched him sprint, turning to Jar-Jar with almost sad eyes.

She knew that Anakin would not forget this betrayal, no matter how much he liked Jar-Jar. She'd already figured out that Anakin had a handful of people he considered most important, and Padme was probably number one.

"Thanks Jar-Jar." She told the Gungun, "I'll see what I can do to catch him." The tall sentient nodded to her as she dashed off, a smile on his face as he planned to report to his beloved Queenie Julia. He could only watch in awe as a speeder was suddenly commandeered by a panicked Jedi general and his Padawan commander.

* * *

Hale was a bit concerned as his comm went off once more. He checked the device and noted that yet another one of his expensive cameras had been deactivated. Taking a deep breath as he swept a hand across his balding forehead, the man turned to his two trusted accomplices.

One was his son, who stood a hair taller than himself and still had all his brown hair to speak of. The other was their trusted Togruta friend, who came to work for them after they'd bailed her out of a nasty debt. She stood as tall as his son, with pale colored Montrals peeking up over his head. Both were valuable employees and he wasn't willing to risk either of them.

"What'sa matter father?" His son's tenor voice called out to him, making him smile in recollections for a slight moment. He just shrugged instead.

"Someone's deactivating the cameras at the Naberrie place." He told them both, bringing his accomplices both to high alert.

The Togruta, as expected, was immediately ready for action, "So we go put them back." She rallied the two men, "It will be easy!"

Hale shook his head, "No Yiya." he warned her, "We could be implicated if we try anything. Better to play it all off as a surprise."  
His son, Junior, then inserted, "But what about the client? What'll he do?"

Again, Hale shrugged, "We simply inform him that the devices were compromised and that we will not accept the payment." That was his decision.

Yiya was near outrage, "But! All that money! How much you spent on the pin cameras!" Hale merely shrugged it all off.

"They were far cheaper than the cost of our lives, my dear." He assured her, "I'll handle the client myself." And then he turned, knowing that he was likely to face a grand punishment for his failures, even though he wasn't a machine, or of either side of this bloody war. All that mattered was setting right what he could.

Cautiously he dialed out the HoloComm code that would lead him to the infamous leader of the Galactic Federation.

* * *

Luke was going through the kitchen, disabling the pin-cameras one by one through the Force, when it finally hit him. He couldn't go on any longer.

The world began to spin around him like someone had pulled the plug in a bath tub and poured sparkling stars into the water. He could hardly breathe and found himself gasping for air. Suddenly, he saw the ceiling and his prosthetic hand reaching out towards the glistening chandelier above the island.

With a thunk, the man fell backwards and slammed his head on the island counter top, accidentally sending what little distress he could fathom out into the Force. And it wasn't his choice to do that. "Damnnit, that kriffing-" is about where his curses started. Fatigue didn't do much for his vocabulary filter.

Leia came dashing down the steps from where she was disabling cameras shoved into the glass sconces. She'd felt her brother's pain and was almost in a state of panic.

When she shoved the swinging door open, glancing into the white and stone kitchen, she put both hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Her brother was curled up, clutching the back of his head with both hands as though he'd hit it, spitting out more swears than she was certain her husband Han knew. "You okay?" She asked as she knelt down beside him. He shrugged and slowly sat up, looking at his hands. She had to stop herself from staring at his now slightly more aged and ashen face. _He's aging way too fast._ She realized,_ I'm not sure we'll be able to reverse this at this rate. _

"I'm not bleeding." He assured her, ignoring her shock and reaching up to put a hand on the back of his head again.

Leia rolled her eyes and found the industrial-sized ice box in the kitchen, opening all the doors to find a freezer pack or something of the like. As she did this, her brother struggled to stand on two feet, nearly falling with each attempt. "Stop it." She ordered, turning about to find a towel to place the pack in. Her brother looked up at her with frustration in his icy blue eyes, "You're hurt and you need to accept that."

He shrugged and fell back onto the ground, sighing. "I hate it." he informed her with a tired voice, a yawn exuding from him a moment later, "I hate being idle."

His sister passed him the ice pack with a gentle smile pulling at her face before she reminded him, "Resting isn't being idle... it's letting your body mend... and you've been carrying us both for more than a week now." Nodding, Luke placed the ice pack on the back of his head, grimacing as the cold met the bruising blood.

Because of his dizziness, Leia assisted her quite a bit taller brother from the ground, helping him into one of the sitting rooms that was near the waterfront. The room was white and plush, decorated as though a grand scholar lived there and making Luke feel as though he'd entered fragile space. He hadn't debugged this room yet, but a quick Force-flash took care of the seeing of him for a while. Leia merely chuckled, hitting any device in the radius of them with yet another flash for good measure.

"I'll get the cameras in this room," she said while observing the setting sun, "You just get yourself back to one-hundred percent, in case we have to fight those dark Jedi again." Luke rolled his eyes like a frustrated teen before collapsing on the fluffed pillow behind him. He put his feet up and attempted to close his eyes, his nerves still calling out to his sister in the Force. "I know I'm not far enough along to beat them on my own, so really listen to me... Rest, little brother."

Luke snorted, "Whatever you say, little sister."

And surely enough, she felt his consciousness actually flicker off for a while, and that brought a smile to her face. So she began relentlessly working on removing all recording devices from that room. A pin camera in a stringed instrument. Another in a sconce. Three more hidden in various plants around the room. _Someone really wants to know what she's up to..._ Leia realized as she turned back to her sound asleep brother before resuming her work on the second floor, _the question is why._

Filled with all new worries about her mother, Leia finally reached one of the many bedrooms inside the home. It was a quaint room lined with white curtains and windows. A dark framed bed highlighted the space, covered in white covers and more pillows than anyone ever needed. Pictures of family filled the open spaces on the furniture, including her mother with a younger Pooja and Ryoo. Leia lifted this image and smiled at the grins exchanged by the moving light.

And, if only just for a moment, she saw it all. Her heart brought everything to life_. In place of her cousins, a younger form of she and her brother stood in their places, grins wide as they cuddled into their mother. She wore a white dress with a silver belt, her hair loose and wild on her back as it twisted into waves and curls. Her brother wore a white tunic with a black over tunic, his hair tossed in the wind as it fought to turn into wheat curls, like he used to wear when they were still mother had a twin in each arm and was unable to decide which direction she wanted to look at first. And, suddenly, she turned a wide smile forward and called out to the camera man, "Come! Join us Ani!"_

When Leia blinked, the picture was normal once more, but she found herself shedding a tear. _Fight for us, father._ Leia found herself chanting in her heart, _Fight all your darkness for our happy future!_ It seemed the Force heard her plea, as it pulled her attention back towards a small dressing table. It was perhaps the most elaborate piece of furniture in the room, but that was hardly the reason she was so drawn to it. The Force told her to open the top drawer, and it told her to remove a small metal locket hidden under the spare linens she'd found inside of it.

It was a tiny thing, with a small insignia Leia recognized as a crest of Naboo. Gold and ivory lined the trinket, nearly hiding it's small clasp. Carefully, she opened it, and inside she found something breathtaking. A portrait of her mother and father staring into each other's eyes deeply with slight grins on their faces. _So that's what it looked like,_ she realized, knowing that their visit on Coruscant would have forced the two into hiding their feelings, _That's what their love looked like._

Smiling to herself as she put the locket back, Leia returned her attention to the rooms. She was surprised at how these rooms were filled with extraordinary views of the lake and mountains. The space was simply breathtaking.

After breaking her trance, she immediately spotted the first of many pin-cameras set up by the nefarious maintenance workers. Or so she hoped. Having collected and effectively smashed each one in her bare hands, Leia was starting to get fatigued.

Like her brother, the whole Gamragist thing had worn her out and she wasn't sure how long she could operate on this particular level. How her brother managed to be so powerful still, despite the drain, was something of a mystery to her. _But he's paying the price for it,_ she realized, _He's aged faster than I have._ Sitting back onto one of the canopy beds, Leia sighed and turned towards her own reflection in the mirror.

She looked as tired as she felt, and her skin was starting to turn paler again. The wrinkles she was starting to get made her recall those sported by Palpatine on the few time's she'd been able to see him up close, and she wondered if his supposed injuries from the Jedi years 'earlier' and her own were related.

She sat back on the bed and tried to rest, certain she'd gotten most of the cameras, but part of her could not. Part of her had to keep going, and that was likely the same part that made Luke so stubborn.

So, with a harrumph, she pulled herself off the soft cotton and stomped in towards the large, walk-in closet attached to this room. _Mother's room,_ she realized with a smile.

* * *

The gondola driver Paddy Accu was a kind man. He wasn't overly tall or short, nor too heavy or too light. His face was lined with white hair at the top, and wide smile on the bottom. Anakin knew him well and trusted the man with the knowledge that he'd visited this estate. Often.

And it was this very small friendship that made Paddy so easy to interrogate. Anakin didn't even have to ask a word for the man to start talking his ear off about the mysterious Darklighters.

"It was strange..." Paddy told him earnestly as they drifted past the last town before the chain of retreats, "I thought they were you and Senator Amidala at first, they looked so much like you both." Anakin gulped in hearing that. This was the first time Padme had been implicated to begin with. "When they said they were here to do some routine checks, I figured you'd be back Master Skywalker... you're always assigned to protect the senator."

"Well..." Anakin joked, hoping his Padawan wasn't picking up on how often he actually was at the lake retreat, "I am the best at it." Ahsoka, still somewhat young and naïve, chuckled beside him as the villa came into view. She gawked at the string of homes lining the opposing bank where the town sat, each spaciously set along a long, mountain side road, knowing that their destination was so much further away.

Paddy, an all-knowing grin on his face as he watched Anakin Skywalker survey the space, took a deep breath as he continued to drive past the scenic countryside. "The man was especially strange." He admitted after a time, "He slept the whole way, and yet awoke without so much as a question. I knew he was unconscious, but he still reacted to things the Mrs. and I said or did." He then turned his black eyes back to Skywalker, "I've never known someone to do that before... I know they are Jedi, but their connection was strange. And what made it stranger is that they didn't seem like two people in love to me."

Ahsoka's brow-marks furrowed, "How would you know that?"

Grinning a bit and then sending Anakin a quick glance, the old man informed the young Togruta, "Most people that come to these parts do so with the ones they love the most." He then cocked his head to the side, ushering towards another young couple passing by on their own gondola speeder, "When Jacen Darklighter boarded the boat, he didn't even tell his wife he planned to sleep... he just shrugged off his jacket and was out. And she did nothing to keep him close. They rode on opposite ends of the gondola almost... most couples would have handled that differently."

Anakin sat back and crossed his arms, noting that both he and Ahsoka were both in and out of proximity from each other, just as Paddy had described the Darklighters. But the gondola driver wasn't finished with his statement, "Jaina Darklighter also insisted that they are less than two months married... in these surroundings, its near impossible for newlyweds to keep their hands off each other. That was when I surmised they were lying."

Curious more than anything, Anakin wondered, "So, what do you think they are to each other?"

With a grin, Paddy inquired of Anakin, "What is your friend here to you?" There was a pregnant silence as Anakin listed off adjectives in his mind;_ pain in the ass... friend... mentee... sister...pain in the ass... ... even bigger pain in the ass..._

Ahsoka's mouth went wide as she finally decided on something, "Master and Padawan!" Anakin turned to her in surprise, both his brows furrowed together.

"What makes you say that?"

Turning her eyes outwards towards the water, Ahsoka muddled over all that Paddy had shared with them, "Because Jacen didn't announce that he was going to sleep... And Jaina didn't question him. Jedi Padawans are told to respect what their masters do as much as what they say."

Anakin nodded, recalling that same credo himself, "Too bad you missed that lesson." He jested, to which Paddy actually chuckled.

Puffing out her face, Ahsoka scowled at her master, "I did not!... since when have I ever questioned one of your naps?"

"Since when have I been allowed to take naps, Ahsoka?" She had to relent to that one.

They rounded the final bend, where Padme's residence was. The sight of the grand building never ceased to amaze Anakin. He found himself marveling once more. And he wasn't the only one.

"Padme lives here!" Ahsoka gasped as they neared the lower docks. "How can she ever leave this place?" Anakin chuckled, understanding that statement far more than Ahsoka would ever know.

"She believes in duty above all other things in life, Ahsoka."

Paddy chuckled and nodded some, allowing the others to disembark before pushing his boat free of the dock easily. As he coasted away, he turned and informed Anakin, "I dropped them off way down the lane because I figured something is up. Hopefully they'll be too tired to notice you." Nodding to him with a smile, Anakin thanked him.

"You're the best Paddy."

And with that, the elderly man saluted him and began the tiring trip towards the mainland. Turning with his Padawan, Anakin began to carefully plan their moves. "Keep your presence small." He informed the young one, "We move together and carefully. If he's as strong as Yoda, we don't want to tip him off."

Ahsoka nodded before they continued up the steps with only a slight, light tapping signifying their presence.

* * *

Grievous's small, modified starfighter flew easily through the space that encompassed the Chommel Sector. With its built in hyperdrive, he was able to move as much as he wanted across the galaxy and enjoyed the freedom. Two deactivated RX droids were in the storage of his ship, ready to assist him should the target be more... interesting than not.

He still wasn't convinced that he wasn't assassinating Skywalker. And this knowledge forced him to be more cautionary.

Though Skywalker was still young and growing into his extraordinary power, Grievous had learned long ago to never underestimate the man. Reports indicated he should have been the strongest Jedi, but personal disagreements with the code left him unable to fulfill that potential. At the moment, even his own master had more usable strength than he.

But that didn't mean he couldn't draw on more power, especially when his heart wasn't conflicted.

Through reports and the occasional run-in, Grievous had learned to respect the so called _Hero with no Fear_. And it was for this reason that he was perhaps over prepared to face this look-alike. Jacen Darklighter was his name, but his face indicated he was Anakin Skywalker. Therefore, in Grievous's mind, there was no reason not to go above and beyond in preparing for him.

His spies had informed him that the man was hiding on Naboo, though the exact whereabouts of the warrior and his so-called wife were still fuzzy. He knew it would not take long to narrow down locations, but what he really wanted to discover was why their benefactor wanted him gone. And why his wife had to remain unharmed... unless it was really the wife the benefactor was after...

_How absurd,_ Grievous decided, long having forgotten what love felt like. His programming wouldn't allow for that emotion anymore.

So, he brushed the idea aside and turned his ships trajectory towards that of the Naboo, a slight grin expressed only in his slitted eyes.

* * *

_**Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that! The bit with the locket was a last minute add in. I figured it was appropriate to show just how much this trip is starting to mean to Leia. It actually amazed me she put the locket back... maybe she could sense it wasn't near as special as other items in the house. We'll have to see what happens with that in the next chapter :)**_

_**I'm hoping to update my other story, Legacy, tonight. I'm not sure how many of you love Escaflowne or Digimon Tamers, but if you are among that fangroup, it might be worth your while to check it out. I should have it updated in a couple hours... I lost all that data when my computer decided to be a problem and have to start from scratch.**_

_**Anyways! Please don't forget to review. I've noticed a lot more people reviewing and I really appreciate that you are all taking your time to give me feedback and support like that. Thanks for being such a great audience!**_


	20. Chapter 20: Of Dreams and Dresses

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.**_

* * *

Anakin moved stealthily through the home, recognizing several safe places to hide and survey as he did. And with every motion, he and Ahsoka traded leading off, treating this as though more of a mission in enemy territory than anything.

Truthfully, he felt violated. This was just as much his home as Padme's apartment was and these impostors had infiltrated both. His mind was filled with the various ways he could seek his revenge.

Tiptoeing behind him was Ahsoka, who was as cautious as he. But her eyes meandered all over the place, seeking a clue as to why the Darklighters were really here. It was she who discovered the gloved hand hanging over the edge of the plush couch in one of the sitting rooms.

"Psst." Ahsoka called to the dishwater blond as he nearly passed the room by, "I found one."

Anakin turned and peeked inside the dimly lit room, thanks to the fire in the hearth that automatically came on when someone was in the room. All the lights were out and all that showed was the silhouette of the couch, the black hand over the side of it. Slowly, he snuck around to the far edge of the room by the glass doors, observing who was on the couch. He faltered at the ragged sight of the man he'd sought out.

Despite his insistence this man was not his brother and that he was likely up to no good, a part of Anakin suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of concern for him. The way Jacen's originally tanned skin had lightened to an ashen color, and how his skin had started to wrinkle concerned him greatly. Only a day ago, he'd seemed around Anakin's age, but he was now starting to wonder how much truth that held. _Is he sick?_ The man wondered in awe. When he reached out into the Force and felt an overwhelming amount of nothing, the young Jedi could only gulp away his fears. _Or is he dying?_

Ahsoka followed suit, glancing back and forth from one man to another as she observed the face of their quarry in the crackling fire's light.

"Wow." she commented quietly, "I see why they think he's your brother... you two do look a lot alike... but, well... isn't he kind of old?"

Anakin shrugged a moment, "He didn't look like this on Coruscant... something's happening to him." That simply made Ahsoka's eyes widen.

"Do you think whatever it is is contagious?" She wanted to know as fear rose in her chest.

Anakin glared at her, not even wanting to think about those implications, and then moved forward towards the glass table. He'd spotted a black and silver cylinder resting there and thought he knew what it was. Upon removing the object, he found he was right.

"So he _is_ a Jedi." Anakin informed his Padawan as he showed her the lightsaber.

Ahsoka glanced at the object curiously a moment before turning back to the sleeping man. "His lightsaber reminds me of Master Kenobi's." She admitted. Anakin had to concede to that with a nod. But then Ahsoka curiously approached the sleeping man, dressed in as much black as her master wore, and sleeping soundlessly like her master did.

His hair wasn't quite as long, and it seemed to curl just a little bit more than Anakin's. It was also a little lighter, as though he'd seen more sun. Even his skin was a tad darker, despite the ashen color it had recently taken on, probably for that same reason. But everything, from the shape of his nose to the slight cleft in his chin, reminded her so much of Anakin. She had to wonder why her master did not believe this man was his brother... _or uncle even._

"Why is his Force-presence so... gone?" She wondered suddenly, finally noticing why he hadn't realized they were there. Normally a Force-sensitive would have woken up by now.

Curious over that same question, Anakin holstered Darklighter's weapon and approached him, carefully surveying his energy field with his flesh hand in the air. Not once did the man stir.

"He's very hurt, which is probably why he's aged so much." Anakin realized, his voice grim, "The strain of keeping himself alive has worn him out, making him look a lot older than he actually is, that happens when someone overuses the Force. Potkin was right, though, his presence is immense... but his body hasn't the strength to handle it right now."

Ahsoka nodded, "That explains why he's resting so deeply." She noticed that Anakin stepped back, crossing his arms and entering a pose that usually meant he was thinking. "What is it?"

"He usually keeps his presence held back... this is the first time I've had a chance to really _feel_ who he is." Anakin realized, his brows furrowed, "And he does feel a lot like me." Ahsoka nodded in agreement.

"I noticed that right away." She admitted as she stepped back, her sensitive montrals suddenly hearing a noise from above, "It sounds like this Jaina is above us." But her master didn't hear her. He was still too lost in thought.

"Who are you?" Anakin wondered, looking deeply inside himself for a believable answer, "If you aren't my brother.. who are you?"

It was then that they got a particularly disturbing vibe in the Force... coming from the kitchens. Wordlessly, the pair tip-toed around the sleeping man on the couch and beelined it towards the danger the were bracing for.

The swinging door creaked a bit as they did, but it was to their good fortune that Jaina had descended the stairs around that same time, making a bit of noise. It seemed she was filled with energy, but she too had retracted her presence into herself.

"Did she sense us?" Ahsoka wondered aloud, but Anakin shook his head and held his mechanical hand to his mouth, indicating she should be quiet. Carefully, they slinked into the shadows, stepping around the island that Luke had formerly injured himself upon. The gold flecked granite showed no indication of his injury.

A faint rustling indicated the nefarious thing they were searching for, but neither could pinpoint its exact location. It moved from the sink to the window and back, as though pacing in a space that wasn't there.

"Where is it master?" Ahsoka wanted to know.

All Anakin could do was shrug.

* * *

His dreams were tainted with darkness again, as that dangerous voice from before taunted him. But this time, deep in the shadows that insisted he was an insignificant worm, a monster made of sin, there was no light to push away the darkness. His grandmother's ghost was not present to force the monster out. "_Who are you?"_ Luke demanded in a growl of frustration, _"Answer me!"_

With a snigger like a predator, the voice echoed back, "_I am Demantis, ruler of the highest of Advorosian Clans... I am your new master."_

Luke scoffed, having heard that one many times before, _"As if."_

Again, the voice chuckled maniacally, "_Darkness flows in your veins, son of Vader."_ He then paused to add, "_Don't let your namesake fool you into believing otherwise."_

Luke grumbled to himself and was about to respond when-

-suddenly, the single door from the hall few open, revealing the entryway from the street and the stairs. Leia had run through them, so very excited as she clutched a large, white and beaded dress. "LUKE!" she shouted in glee, "Wake up! You have to see this!"

With a slight snort and a start, the blond man shot up from the couch, "What?!" he asked, somewhat sleepily as he darted his eyes around. Glancing in the doorway, he saw the wide smile on his sister's face, her chocolate colored eyes glittering in excitement. "What did you find?"

Holding the dress out so he could see it, Leia beamed, "What does this look like to you?"

Luke furrowed a brow as he took in the sleek, low cut, A-line dress, not that he would know to call it that. It was a two piece dress, with a well embroidered and beaded design that was covered by an equally elaborate overcoat. The sleeves puffed out a bit, giving the dress a bit of definition. And it was apparent that it had a train, and at least he knew what that was.

Deadpanning as he sat back, putting his bare feet on the ground, Luke replied, "A dress." Leia stared at him awkwardly for a moment, her expression inquiring as to whether he was serious or not, so Luke timidly added, "A very pretty dress." Again, she just gawked at him, to which he defended himself, "Oh come on Lay, I grew up on Tatooine...a peasant... I know nothing about dresses." He reminded her.

Leia didn't take too kindly to Luke's defense, "It's a wedding dress!" In hearing that, Luke paled and furrowed his brows together as he thought.

She watched as Luke leaned forward, "Are you sure?... She has a lot of fancy dresses, based on what we saw at her Coruscanti residence." Leia scoffed and stepped forward, standing before a mirror near the fireplace to admire herself with the dress.

"It just has to be... It looks just like one." She then turned to Luke,_ And you know what this means, right?_ Luke sighed and turned away.

_Much as I want to believe they were married... _Luke informed her, clearly not used to being the realist between the two, "That could just be an heirloom." Leia shook her head, not wanting to cave in to her gut feeling.

She suddenly turned about and continued to admire the dress, "You've had to pull yourself away from the Force to heal," she reminded him in an almost aristocratic manner, "You can't let your instincts guide you right now... my instincts say they're married and this dress is proof." Luke just let her stand there in her certainty, not wanting to halt her dreaming. Truthfully, he looked pleased.

"Gods Luke!" Lay suddenly gushed, _We're legitimate!_ She spun herself about with a wide grin on her face that really made him question what he was seeing, _You were right! We weren't the product of a fling! Our parents actually loved each other! _She then stepped forward, clutching the dress like a treasure, "I wonder when they tied the knot... what with their positions..."

Luke snorted, "Yeah, it takes a lot of nerve to forget about the Jedi code." He then dryly inserted, "No wonder he turned to the dark side."

Leia turned to Luke, her jaw dropped, "What's wrong with you?" She near demanded, _Usually you're the one preaching about the goodness in our father, about how he loved us more than he did power._ There was silence in the room, silence as they both contemplated what was really making Luke turn back to the way he was before he'd confronted their father.

Both were so withdrawn from the world around them in their thinking, that neither could even detect danger in the vicinity, much less the two suspicious Jedi in the next room. No, all that mattered to Leia right now was fixing her brother. Just as her brother fixated on her emotional stability when she faltered. _Though_, Luke admitted to himself more than he did his sister,_ you've a much pushier stare, sis._ Leia merely snorted, laxing on the gown a bit once more.

And, finally, Luke relented, "You're right... I'm sorry."

Setting the glistening dress down, Lay took her brother's arm and held him close as he explained his own turmoil, "That voice is back."

"The evil one?" She wanted to know, Luke nodded.

After a time, Luke replied with "His name is Demantis." Leia's brow furrowed, wondering more about the name, "He keeps trying to convince me that darkness is all I have... it's very draining to repel him." And Leia nodded, understanding.

_There is no darkness in you Luke._ She assured him, "You do all you can every day to keep the darkness out, you've no reason to fear him." It was then that Luke swallowed and shook his head.

After a time of silence, the young man suddenly inserted, "I bury it deep... like father is doing now." Leia shook her head and then she stood up and held the dress to herself once more.

"You just have to focus on what makes you happy, Luke." She reminded him, "Happiness can make even the darkest feelings insignificant." The man grinned at her.

"Hmm... you keep talking like that and I might forget who's the master and who's the Padawan." Luke joked at her.

The two of them were clearly enjoying the silence as Leia continued to regard her reflection in the mirror. Finally, she voiced her thoughts, "She must have looked beautiful... I mean, my dress wasn't anything like this."

"You made the dress beautiful." He pointed out, "Not the other way around." Flushing a bit, Leia grinned at her brother.

"It's too bad we have no way of knowing..."

Sitting forward, Luke half-grinned and suggested, "Well, there is a way to find out."

Turning, Leia dropped the dress a bit and furrowed a brow, "How?"

Chuckling, Luke sat back once more and sighed, "You look just like her... try it on." Leia's eyes went wide when she heard that.

"I _can't _do that!"

Shrugging, Luke wondered, _Why not?... I thought it was some ceremonious thing for daughter's to try on their mother's old clothes or something._

_She doesn't know she's our mother!_ Leia gasped, looking as outraged as ever, "That's a serious invasion!"

Rolling his eyes, Luke sighed, _Leia... she's dead in our time, it's not like you'll get permission from her then either-_

"-But I can ask Pooja." Leia cut in, then timidly added, _Once I convince her we're cousins and we verify that the dress wasn't... donated._ Luke raised his brows as his sister muddled it over.

After a heavy silence, Luke added, _It was probably her dying wish._

Leia turned to him, her eyes sweet for a moment before that familiar Skywalker flicker entered them. Sarcastically, she added, "She died when we were born Luke, chances are her dying words were 'Gods, why'd they're have to be two of 'em!?'" Luke snorted at his witty sister, shaking his head.

But, then she smiled and held the dress up, _But you're right... this might be my only chance to feel like her daughter..._ And suddenly, with a grin, she ran over to her brother and kissed his cheek, "Thanks for the support, little brother." And then she dashed out of the room like a teenaged girl filled with glee.

"Little brother?" Luke called sarcastically, "I still say I'm the oldest one."

Leia's voice called from the powder room across the hall, "Whatever!"

Once she was gone, Luke sighed and stared into the fire.

The flames in the hearth were much higher now than before, and their dances were comforting to him. And he was glad to be a comfort to his sister. But he could still feel his injuries. His body was tired, just as the faceless man had told him it would be. He could feel himself slipping, falling into the horrid state of becoming half of what he was... dying, almost. He knew his spiritual energy was fine, as his connection to the Force was as stable as ever. It was his physical energy that was lacking, the very energy that kept him alive. Though that energy was also made of the Force, it was a different kind of energy all it's own. One Luke couldn't really summon or push away.

This was also the energy he'd learned Shaetin feed on.

So, staring at the flames, an idea struck Luke. Cautiously, he stood and ambled slowly, his whole body still exhausted and his mind dizzy. His target was the hearth, and he reached it carefully, kneeling down beside it like an old man. Tentatively, he raised his flesh arm and stretched his fingertips into the blaze of the hearth while beginning to focus.

He remembered the faceless man, how he touched the light of stars to replenish himself. Stars were nothing more than balls of intense fire.

The flames suddenly flew into Luke's left arm, popping and snapping as they did until the hearth was empty. Almost instantly, he felt better, stronger even. He glanced down to his flesh hand and even noticed how the signs of age had faded away from them for the most part. "Interesting" was all he said before he stretched his senses out, finally feeling that overwhelming presence of darkness in the house.

And two specs of light that hadn't been there before.

* * *

It had taken him a while to realize that the spy droid was hiding in the walls, using infrared cameras to track their every move. Praying Padme would forgive him for bringing harm to her beloved hide away, Anakin entered a horse-stance and plunged his ignited blade straight into the wall. The resounding crunch from the collision was anything but satisfying.

Behind shattered tile and dust from drywall were the charred remains of a tiny, octopus like SPI-1000 model droid. They were rare combinations of technology that the recent droid factories began pumping out and they were expensive. Which begged the answer to the question of why this droid was here. All the reasons Anakin could surmise did little to ease his worry.

"Well, either our guests were followed," Anakin decided as Ahsoka approached him, "Or Padme's in trouble again."

Ahsoka sighed, "Take your pick." She acknowledged, "Senator Amidala does have a pretty long list of enemies... course we know nothing about your 'kids.'" she teased him.

Anakin merely stared at her incredulously, wanting that lousy joke to die. He vowed up and down the kitchen that he would re-calibrate Threepio's processor personally on his first day of meditative leave. But rather than address her for her supposed insubordination, Anakin halted and turned towards the doorway; someone was listening.

_Or is he?_

Sensing an anomaly, Anakin's eyes darted over by the ice box, where a strange shadow stood that wasn't there before. But Anakin wasn't fooled long by it, "Who the hell are you?"

Stepping out from his hiding place in the shadows, Jacen answered, "A friend." was all he said, "And that is all you need to know Skywalker."

The sight of his rejuvenated self astounded both Anakin and Ahsoka, both of whom were without words at his recovery. Jacen no longer looked as though he'd entered his late fifties, rather, his was the appearance of a man in his mid-thirties. But Jacen didn't take note of that as he stepped further into the kitchen's open space. And Anakin moved to match his every step.

Ahsoka was right behind her master, gawking at the man as she attempted to register his voice. It was a lot like Anakin's, gentle sounding despite the ferociousness there. Even the way he stared at them with his light eyes made her think of her master.

"That isn't good enough." Anakin decreed as he stomped forward, "Why are you here? Why are you going through Padme's things?" Jacen visibly swallowed and turned to face the man again.

"We are here because we need to protect her." the man began, suddenly opening up his presence in the Force. He poured out his good will, filling the room with a calm state that made Anakin's temper die somewhat. Stepping back to attempt to regain his clarity, Anakin brought his mechanical arm up to his head, trying to shrug the feelings out. "Someone had planted pin cameras in her house, and we removed them." Jacen soon informed them as he added more friendliness to his presence. Anakin's knees began to tremble from the effort to get Jacen out of his mind.

Ahsoka was doing the same as her master, "What's he doing master?"

Despite knowing the answer, he could not address her inquiry with Jacen still in the room, so Anakin focused on the topic at hand, "Why are you protecting her?..." he then stepped forward and demanded through a pained hiss, "Who is trying to hurt her?"

Suddenly breathing heavily, as if his hypnosis technique were tiring him out, Jacen replied carefully, "Three warriors... dark Jedi actually." That did little to satisfy the man.

"Why?!" Anakin demanded, gritting his teeth at the thought of his beloved Padme facing fiends like Ventress or Dooku. Luke turned his eyes away for a while, clearly thinking.

"I'm not sure I should tell you." He replied gently, lowering his presence to allow the now much calmer Jedi to breath a little, "It's very complicated."

Sighing, Anakin stepped closer to Luke, now standing on the plush carpet that ran under the kitchen table. Facing one another, it was apparent that both men had a presence not to mess with, even as Anakin's height appeared to offer him the advantage of being imposing. But Jacen, his countenance didn't waver once. "I don't care." Anakin informed the man sternly, "She's as much my responsibility as my Padawan. I will not let a friend suffer while I pass by."

Smiling wide now, Luke nodded and conceded... sort of, "The Dagoyan masters have foreseen that she will play a large part in reshaping the galaxy. There are some who wish her harm for that reason." Staring at him a while while his Padawan closed the gap between the conversing men and herself, Anakin did his best to read him. After a time, he made his decision.

"You're lying."

Again, Luke smiled and nodded, "Only because I have to."

Once more was there was a long pause as the two men stared one another down. Ahsoka turned her blue eyes back and forth between them, amazed at how similar and different they were. Their countenances were perhaps the greatest contrast between them. Anakin wore a look of calm anger while Luke stood by in absolute serenity. One man scowled, the other smirked. One man had dark blue eyes, the other's eyes were like the ice of Ilum. But both were so alike it startled her.

And then she remembered the reason they were there.

"Are you his brother?" She had to ask. It was sheer compulsion, but she knew she needed to hear that statement nullified.

With raised brows, Jacen turned to her with a slight grin. "And where would you come up with that off the wall idea?" He inquired.

Anakin swallowed and stepped forward, "Master Yoda seems to believe you are my brother." He then began circling the shorter man, his eyes never leaving him. Unlike other suspects Anakin had interrogated, Jacen didn't watch him move. Rather, he kept his eyes on the floor. "I'm not so convinced."

To that, the older man chuckled, "Your instincts serve you well."

Anakin stopped in hearing that, "So you are not my brother?" He asked to confirm and when the man nodded, he then inquired, "Then I'll ask again... who the hell are you?"

Turning to him, Luke half grinned and asked him, "What do your instincts tell you, Knight Skywalker?... Are Jaina and I really such a threat?" Stepping back, Anakin nearly tripped over the rug, he was so surprised by that wise, Jedi retort.

The silence between them was daunting, and only broken when Leia returned to the room clad in Padme's dress. But she did not realize they had guests, having been so distracted by her own glee. Though she anticipated her brother's smile, she halted mid step at the angry pools of ocean that were her father's glaring eyes.

Luke had been right, it was an heirloom from Padme's grandmother, and Anakin had been taken aback by how beautiful his wife had looked in that dress on their wedding day. It sickened him to see another woman wear that dress just as well as Padme. At first, at least.

Jaina was shorter, but she had more curve to her, and so the dress fit her more closely than it had Padme. What irritated Anakin was that she seemed to beam in it, as though the dress should have belonged to her when it clearly did not.

Trying to ignore the discomfort, Jaina took a deep breath and regarded herself in the reflective pannels of the ice box. "What do you think?" She asked of her brother, who smiled at her, before turning to Anakin and Ahsoka, "This is a wedding dress? Right?"

Ahsoka clearly nodded while Anakin scrambled for words. Part of him felt it appropriate that Jaina had his wife's gown on, a part of him he didn't understand, nor did he want to listen to. But it still forced him to regard her with eyes of appraisal, measuring her beauty and finding her a pleasing sight to him. Not one of attraction, but one of pride.

But those feelings were flickers that came through the punctuated red he felt at the sight of this daring young woman. His anger was building and he realized that. If he looked at that woman any longer, he would attack her. "Get out of that dress!" he bellowed, "You've no right infringing on Padme's privacy like that!" Even Ahoska was frozen at his crass retort.

But the bewilderment of the unwanted guests did not last long, as Jacen and Jaina smirked a moment, with Jacen crossing his arms and responding to Anakin's warning, "You look beautiful, but he is right... perhaps it is time to put the dress back."

Dreamily, Jaina nodded, staring at herself in the mirror once more before returning to the powder room. Ahsoka watched her go, marveling at the dress. It was clearly a wedding dress to her, plain as day. Though she, as a Togruta, would not wear anything of the sort, she could not help but marvel at how Jaina looked in the gown. But then she noticed how angry her master had been made by the sight of it, and she had to wonder.

Furrowing a brow, she asked very carefully, "Why does Padme have a wedding gown?"

Startled a moment, Anakin turned his jaw-dropped face towards his Padawan and replied, "Why would I know that answer?... I know she isn't married!"

Luke chuckled in observing the scene, amazed at how his father was just as he'd imagined with Ahsoka. _Confident one moment and stuttering the next... Now I know where I get it from._ Still, he was the one poised with an answer, "Many aristocrats keep heirloom dresses. It is no surprise to us that she has one." Anakin growled in agreement, for once grateful that the man was there.

Standing up straighter and trying to relax, Anakin suddenly challenged this Jacen, "How long did you know we were there?" He then crossed his arms as he stood before the kitchen island, "You're presence was deeply retracted... you shouldn't have been able to sense a fly."

Shrugging, Luke sat down on one of the chairs, his arms spread out on the table as he took a deep breath. He was getting tired again.

"I opened myself up to the Force again a few minutes ago."

Impressed more than anything, Ahsoka joined him on the couch, "You mean, even with your injuries, you could still control the Force as though you weren't hurt?" Luke nodded, "That's amazing!"

"I do what I must for Jaina. Our bond goes deep." Luke replied carefully, "We've only got each other."

Suddenly relaxing, Anakin turned to lean on the island as he stared at the young man. "You truly don't mean any of us harm?" He noted, to which Luke nodded, "Then... who is really threatening Padme? Let us help you!"

Luke was about to reply when suddenly his eyes turned to the terrace. A half a second later, Anakin sensed it too. Both men rushed out the glass doors with Ahsoka at their heels to watch a small separatist fighter descend into the river valley.

Its lights in the dark of night made the repulsion jets glow, almost masking the large form that flew out of the piloting cab. And, with a stone-craking smash, the three braced themselves for the cloaked, machine menace that was the four-armed Grievous.

With a slight laugh in his voice, the droid commander turned from Skywalker to Tano and then to 'Darklighter.' _Dooku was right, he is a separate person,_ He thought with glee. "Jacen Darklighter!" He cried out wickedly, "Count Dooku sends his best regards!"

In a sudden moment of urgency, Luke reached down to grab his lightsaber, only to discover it was not holstered on his belt as it should have been. Scrambling to understand where it went, he suddenly heard the voice of Anakin Skywalker cry out, "Jacen!" In his mechanical hand, Luke found the hilt of his trusted emerald weapon.

As Grievous rushed him, Ahsoka charged to buy the two men some time to formulate a plan.

"Grievous!" She cried out, "At least we now know who sent that SPI droid!"

Grievous chuckled some, before stepping back to make a daring slice at the young Togruta. The young warrioress flipped past his blade narrowly before attempting to counter him.

Meanwhile, Luke retrieved his weapon swiftly and suddenly charged on Grievous with speeds unseen before. With moves Ahsoka only saw Master Yoda use, he took the first glowing swings at Grievous's left side, the droid commander repelling him as best he could while being forced back towards the water. But even his power was not the greatest shock, rather Ahsoka was amazed he could control so much when his presence flickered on and off like a dying light bulb.

"Why me?" Luke demanded as Grievous caught one of Luke's weakening strikes in a cross of lighsaber blades.

Chuckling, Grievous did not respond with anything more than, "Because I want to." He then unleashed his spare arms, attempting to slice Luke up the side, but a dark blur called Anakin soon appeared there, blocking one arm before stopping the other.

Jumping back, both men brought their sabers level to engage the opponent once more, Ahsoka off to the side and doing the same. Grievous looked from one to the next, amused with this blatant defiance that he saw in themselves.

But he was no dark side user, and so he did not detect the overhead attack from Leia on the second floor. Without so much as a word, she descended, drawing her blue blade with a pop-hiss at the last moment before she connected with Grievous. Her sneak attack did not allow Grievous to prepare, and so one of his arms was removed as Leia's feet hit the ground.

Expecting retaliation for her cleverness, Luke rushed in and began blocking the two side blades with his own easily. Leia moved in a slight crouch, the two of them matching the levels of Grievous's sabers as they moved in tandem, practically dancing with one another. The speed at which they moved made the lightsabers sing non-stop, putting Anakin and Ahsoka into a sense of awe. They could only watch the weary warriors.

They'd never seen two people fight like that before.

"It's like they are one person." Ahsoka noted as she approached her master. Anakin nodded, completely dumbfounded. The energies he felt from them as they fought were starting to scare him.

They were so much like his.

Just as it appeared that Grievous was about to lose, the droid commander pressed a button on one of his unsevered arms and leaped into the air. Luke was about to chase him there, but Leia grabbed on to him, giving him a look of warning.

Together they watched as Grievous disappeared into the night sky.

* * *

**Author's Note: Every time I read that scene with Grievous, a voice in my head just goes "And victory goes to Leia with a death from above!" I don't know why, but I just find that set up funny. **

**Well, a lot happened and didn't happen in this chapter. I just feel bad for poor Anakin, who's so close to the truth but too stubborn to actually figure it out. It seems like a part of him has though, based on that dress scene. I had to include the trying on the dress thing, by the way. It was fun writing in a something special that would make Leia finally feel like her mother's daughter. I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Please don't forget to review! I love reading them!**


End file.
